One of the best coming of age dramas

Rating: 8/10 (7 July 2004)

There is enough Drama/Comedy/offbeat darkness in this film. It is director "Tim Burton" at his best. One minute you could be smiling in melancholy happiness and the next, eyes filling with tears. The characters in the film represent all the adolescent and adult emotional feelings one develops as they adapt within families and societal life. The dark undertones sort of represent the overall mood you "the viewer" experience within each progressive scene.
Actor Billy Crudup (Will Bloom)plays the son of (Ed Bloom)Albert Finney with such convincing manner:everything from the facial expressions down to the speech and vocal tones conversed between the two. Ewan McGregor plays the part of (Ed Bloom) coming of age. And does it so well. The struggle of son living up to father's expectations is very real.
Showing that a strong family structure is key to success in most nearly everything. And a weak family structure is somewhat a struggle. Director Tim Burton explores these issues with fine intelligent complexity.
The film is very well acted and beautifully choreographed.
A timeless piece of film.