By Far one of the best movies!

Rating: 9/10 (2 December 2003)

I was able to see a screening of the movie last night courtesy of a marketing firm out in Denver area. Other than the fact that it was the new Tim Burton movie, I didn't know much about this movie going into it. I remember seeing a spread for it in Vanity Fair a while back, but didn't connect the two. The spread I saw focused on a circus cast. This was NOT the entirety of the movie.
The movie is about a man who, as a boy growing up, was told what seemed like tall tales of his father's life. He is haunted by the story of his father catching a fish on the day he was born, and it seems to overshadow every important event of this man's life. When the father becomes sick, William Bloom, played by Billy Crudup of 'Almost Famous' fame, heads home.
It is then when William Bloom tries to pry more into his father's life and find out how to separate fact from fiction. The stories that the Edward Bloom, younger version played by Ewan McGregor, tells are definitely a hard thing to believe, but the vision and artwork of this movie and the production crew make the scenes and "stories" absolutely beautiful. As you travel along with the younger Edward Bloom you begin to realize that he is indeed "A big fish in a small pond." Throughout the stories, and the uncovering of "the truth" William learns more about his father, and yet at the same time learns nothing new.
Overall, I LOVED this movie. I strongly suggest that you go see it. Billy Crudup played William excellently, and Ewan as the young Edward Bloom was captivating. Albert Finney, of Erin Brocovich and Traffic fame, plays the older version of Edward Bloom and you can't help but wish you had a grandpa like him. Some of the smaller roles were actually the biggest names in the movie. Steve Buscemi (known for his wacky character in Armageddon) was a small-town poet who goes missing, Danny Devito is the circus ringmaster, Jessica Lange plays Mrs. Bloom, and Helena Boham Carter plays a young girl who happens to be in the path of young Edward Bloom, and the lovable "Giant" is exactly that... you somehow imagine to see a bit of every friend you ever had in this giant, and possibly even a bit of yourself. The saddest note about it? Marion Cotillard, who plays William's wife, gets no credit for her role on imdb.com and yet she is just as important as the elder Mrs. Bloom.
The movie gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from me, and I would definitely love to own this movie. In my humble opinion, it is the BEST work from Tim Burton that I've seen, and definitely ranks with the best of the best from this year.