I'm hooked.

Rating: 8/10 (11 January 2004)

**Warning! Mild Spoilers Ahead!**
As one might expect from Tim Burton, "Big Fish"is an unconventional story, but one that provides a refreshing alternative to the epics that currently populate a good portion of cinemas.
Big Fish tells a father-son story. Set in past and present South, Ed and Will Bloom (Albert Finney and Billy Crudup), are somewhat estranged because Ed constantly speaks in grandiose tales, the veracity of which is highly dubious. Will has always been frustrated by the apparently duplicitous life of his father and had thus cut off communication with him. Toward the end of the father's life, the two reunite, and Ed's legends are examined from multiple perspectives.
Most everything about this film was well done, and it all starts with director Tim Burton. While this is not his best film (I'd go with Batman), it is certainly his most human and personal. In an often tender tale, he continues his brilliantly imaginative work by crafting a fantastical world filled with such characters as witches, giants, and circuses (circi?) that is somehow still grounded in reality. But Burton eschews his usual dark style (Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow) in favor of a more gentle manner that still allows the technical aspects and actors to do the work. And a wise decision that is. The production design of Dennis Gassner (Road to Perdition) is exceptional, presenting a fanciful yet still reality-based look to match Burton's creativity. Musically, Danny Elfman once again collaborates with Burton on this film, mixing his typical quirky score with a handful of Southern-flavored classics like the Allman Brothers' "Ramblin' Man" and Elvis' "All Shook Up." The many different tones of this film could easily have been sloppy or inconsistent, but the technical prowess effectively provides the film with a thorough cohesiveness.
On the acting front, Albert Finney has been nominated for Golden Globe, and while he is quite good, I aver that Billy Crudup is at the heart of "Big Fish." Best known as a rock star in "Almost Famous," Crudup shines here as the son searching for truth. He brings a sincere earnestness to the role, with gestures and looks that embody the yearning for honesty for which everyone longs. Just the way his eyes bounce, always looking for truth, is enough to drive this story forward.
Additionally, a cast of actors' actors that includes Ewan McGregor, Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman, and Helena Bonham Carter is of equally high quality, combining to form one of the best ensembles of the year. Most impressive is the continuity, both visual and otherwise, displayed between multiple actors playing the same character at different ages. Finney and McGregor as Ed Bloom, along with the always good Lange and Lohman as his wife Sandra, all match proper appearances and idiosyncrasies for some of most seamless age transitions I've seen in recent years. In most movies, you must suspend belief to buy the fact that one actor grew into another; but in "Big Fish," you will honestly think Burton discovered a time warp.

The downside to this film is the contrived feelings that are occasionally manifested by the efforts to make the fish analogies work. Everything, including the title of course, comes back to fish. Whether it be the father's favorite story or the odd physical transformations that are woven into the narrative fabric, these metaphors are just a little too cute, detracting a tad from the human heart of the movie.
But that heart is remarkable, revolving around powerful human themes of love and family, and the communication within those bonds. Will desperately wants to truly know his father, and in that process learns a good deal about himself. That's what life is all about, and that's what "Big Fish" expresses so very well.
Bottom Line: Every year there are just two or three films that get me excited about what can be done with the medium. With its unique story and highly imaginative design, Big Fish achieves that distinction. It's a treat of a film for movie lovers. A high 8/10.