An amazing tale or a normal truth

Rating: 9/10 (19 April 2017)

Big Fish is a movie produced by Tim Burton, it ran in 12 December 2003 and stopped in 12 March 2004. The movie is adapted by Big Fish, which is written by Daniel Wallace. John August rewrote it into screenplay. The aim of the movie is to remind paternal love in people's hearts. I think the movie is good enough to be one of the most important movies in history.
The director, Tim Burton, had a tough period in childhood without enough parents' love. He had to stay in a small house with little information from outside. The most interesting thing that he could do was drawing pictures and watching horror film. He used to work for The Walt Disney Company but tried about Disney style of movie. Then he went to Hollywood and built his own style of movie. Most of Tim's movies are Gothic style, most of them talk about zombie, vampire, witch and strange animals. Big Fish hardly uses Gothic element and creates a peaceful environment. Father and son's relationship is the superficial story of this movie. But Tim Burton talks about freedom, lies and life's attitude in deep level through chief actor's whole life, a fish-to-fish life.
The Chief actor, Edward, was a salesman who always told amazing story to his little son: Will. One of the tales was that Edward caught a big fish in Will's birth. But Will was tired of father's story and left Edward after Will's marriage. Their following meeting was close to Edward's death. Because of many people's help, Will reminded the whole tale of his father. Edward was different since his birth. Because he knew his death, he did everything ideally without fear and hesitate. He found that the town was small and decided to go to the world outside. Edward met different kinds of people and things, one day he met Sandra and married with her. Then he was conscripted into the army. After his national service he became a salesman and left his home frequently. He went back to a town, Spectre, which he went before and decided to revive it. Back to real life, Edward was sent to hospital. Will went to the hospital and met a doctor, the doctor told Will the truth of Will' birth. The doctor asked Will whether a normal truth was better than an amazing story. Will understood his father and decided to finish Edward's life in a wonderful ending.
The weakness of Big Fish is that the pace of the movie is a little slow, some of people might feel boring at the beginning of the movie.
The structure of first three fourths of this movie a little like another movie, Forrest Gump, and talks about the amazing life of Edward. But the meaning behind of life is different from Forrest Gump. Edward known he won't die before his true death, so he could do everything in full of his ability. But Gump had some problem in his intelligence, so he could simplify many difficulties in his own way. Edward's real life is hard, but he is optimistic and translate his life into many good tales.
The effect of Edward in will's life is very special. At Will's opinion in his childhood, Edward was a big hero and did plenty of adventure. But with time lapse, Will thought Edward was only a salesman with a life telling lies to others. During a dinner after Will's back to Edward's house, Edward found that will had already told everything to Will's wife, he couldn't attract her curiosity. Then Edward ate silently. This seemed Will's victory. But the heart of Edward was hurt deeply. Will's father reminds me another father: Guido. The effect of Guido to his son in La Vita è Bella is similar of Edward's, they both told lies to their son. But Guido succeed in protecting his son from Nazi's hurt, Edward failed to create a fairy tale world for Will. The life of Guido and Edward were tough, they used the best way to protect their son, telling lies. They were great and deserved the respect of audience. I think protecting parents' heart by believing their lies is the best way to repay their effort.
The image of fish is important. At the beginning of this movie, a big fish dived and met a hook. At the ending, Edward became a big fish in Will's arm in Will's tale. After Will's child talked about Edward's life, a big fish came out of the water in a moonlit night. Fish maybe referred to freedom and Edward got freedom with the spread of those tales.
Tim Burton became a father in 2003, the same year of Big Fish's ran. A son means a lot to a father, Edward warned will that the child is big trouble for parents in the movie. I believe that is the real feeling in Tim Burton' mind. The coincidence reminds me to another director, Hayao Miyazaki, and his movie: Porco Rosso. Hayao Miyazaki felt confused because of the collapse of the Soviet Union, and pressed a strong feeling about escape in Porco Rosso. But at the last part of the movie, the chief actor understood his responsibility and decided to protect lover in his own way. In real life, Hayao Miyazaki produced On Your Mark after Porco Rosso to express the willing of achieving dream. Then Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away came to people's life and changed many children's mind in many countries and regions. I think a series of movie means the life of director. With the experience of living with kids, Tim Burton might give us another surprise in the future.
In a word, I will give 8.5 of 10 for Big Fish, it deserves to watch especially when you stay with your family, especially with your father.