A story for everyone

Rating: 9/10 (25 February 2009)

Big Fish is a movie that will pull in every member of the audience. Albert Finney, an amazing actor in himself, plays the amazing character with an imagination for the absurd, Edward Bloom. Ewan McGregor plays the young hopeful Ed Bloom, with the heart and soul of a friend worth having. The story takes place in several time frames, from Ed Blooms childhood, young adulthood to his late years with an adult son of his own. Billy Crudup plays the dying old mans son, looking for answers he visits his father for the last time. Big Fish is a drama that plays every genre to a T.
The movie begins with a lost man searching for his fathers history. It continues cohesively through Ed Blooms childhood, from a one-eyed witch to jumping spiders. With "tall-tales" of wars, Siamese twins and a traveling circus, Will Bloom learns who his father is. Throughout the movie Will and his pregnant wife rehear most of Will's childhood bedtime stories of giants and idolized southern towns.
Tim Burton once again mesmerizes us with a heartfelt love story with incredible imagination and flair. He takes us to a new world of fantasy and hope. Burton, usually dark and playful, takes a turn and directs a movie so full of love and compassion the only thing that tells you it was even him is the amazing score by Danny Elfman. Burton tells the story of a young man looking for a place so well you'd think it was his very own biography.
Set design plays a huge part in making the movie what it is. The movie takes place in several locations all with very different themes. Forgotten forests, traveling circuses, the hidden south, to a white fenced home. The set designers do an amazing job of making each location a character. Each set has its own feeling, its own personality.
Big Fish is an enchanting story of a young man trying to understand his father. Its believable in its total absurdity. Fact and fiction co-exist in a way that, by any other director, would have seemed awkward. Big Fish is movie for the ages. If you have a heart and half a sense, you're guaranteed to love this enjoyable fairytale. An easy 4.5 out of 5.