An inspiring and profound optimism

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2004)

In a literal culture, metaphor withers. Once in a while it bubbles up to the surface and gives us hope that something can exist free from the stifling demands of logic-bound slave of the tangible and known. A fabulous example of this occurring is Tim Burton's BIG FISH, a simple tale of one man learning that his father's being prone to exaggeration was a way the man honored ordinary greatness. The stark contrast between the hopeful fantasy life of the father and the dull real world of the son are a perfect illustration of the world where people accept the mundane without challenging it, while dismissing the ordinary as boring without ever appreciating it. The film inspires one to follow their own path with an optimism that appears earnest and simple, but is actually profound in its bottomless well of imagination.