Different, but in a good way.

Rating: Null/10 (24 July 2004)

Someone told me that this film was different. They were right too. It's hard to categorise this movie and that's something I actually despise. It's a comedy (occasionally) and a love story (also occasionally). It's a Tim Burton movie, and maybe that's enough information. That means that you don't know what to expect.
I hate categorising films. They should be recognised on their individual merits, not filed in a box so you know what to anticipate. What should happen is that someone should seat you in a cinema, or stick a DVD in your player and tell you nothing else and allow you to watch it in its entirety.
I almost tried to ignore the rear of the case and pretend there was no synopsis. The friend that told me it was different knew what he was talking about. There's an all-star cast and the "unknowns" are equally as impressive as those whom you expect to shine.
I'm not about to announce the storyline here. Again, it's one of those movies that you need to sit and watch from beginning to end - release yourself for two hours and let yourself immerse into the story. The comedy sprinkled throughout is enought to keep you entertained - add the original story and you have yourself a gem of a movie and it's the sort of film that you'll enjoy showing friends for the first time and see their reaction, even on the same scale as Fight Club or Sixth Sense, both for the same reasons. This film has no twist, but it's interesting to see someone's reactions to different areas of this film.
Tim Burton never ceases to satisfy. Listening to his commentary, he took this movie very seriously and had some great motives for making it. It was hardly highly publicised, but that increases its value in terms of watchability. I highly recommend it for an alternative - if you're considering a Hollywood blockbuster for a Saturday night, try Big Fish - you'll be pleasantly entertained.