It's a wonderful film

Rating: 10/10 (3 February 2004)

I was a bit concerned about what I was about to see when I found myself surrounded by children when I went to see this at the weekend...a Tim Burton kids' film?!!! But in the end, I was overjoyed at the work I saw on the screen, and I can't help wandering what those poor kids were thinking.

Despite the adverts, this is not a piece of whimsical storytelling. This is a story about the part stories play in helping us through the dull details of reality, and how magic can be found in a story we have heard a thousand times, but never really listened to.
In this film, Burton has finally found the right blend of vision and plot, allowing his characters to breathe as fully-developed people, whether they are the family doctor or a giant in a cave. And this means that you care not only about what happens in Edward Bloom's (Finney & McGregor) tall stories, but in his relationships with his more mundane family. This is also aided by the sterling work shown by all the cast.
This is a perfect film, presenting us with a vision of life full of breadth but at the same time, always striving to be that little bit more colourful.