The Art of Make-Believe is subtle not blatant

Rating: 5/10 (19 March 2005)

A touch of La Vita e bella eh? In both cases, we see this lush make-believe world created entirely out of a father's vivid imagination for his son to immerse in.
For la vita, its the holocaust which lends a deeper dimension to the film. For Big Fish, it was ...wat? The harsh world out there? How harsh is this world out there? We see Will (Billy Crudrup) surviving pretty well as a foreign journalist with a beautiful French wife. The thing which gnares at his inner psyche is solely the fact that he doesn't know who his dad was.
Unfortunately his dad was a droner (someone who won't stop talking nonsense). He couldn't accept it. His dad did not create these stories to buffer his son from the world. He tells his stories whenever he has the chance to. To everybody he meets. Strangers and friends alike. Including wedding guests at Will's wedding, and thanks to his dad, Will's big night was ruined. It was the final straw in their relationship.
To people who thinks his father is cute, that's because you have been exposed to his stories for two hours. Try a lifetime.
The only beautiful part is when Will finally accepts his father for what he is...a droner.
People who should stay away are those who simply can't stand manipulative films which purports to be thought-provoking and inspirational.