A Touching, Imaginative Film

Rating: 10/10 (29 March 2004)

"Big Fish" is the type of movie that made me think about the good things in life and inspires me to make the most of my life. We all know someone in our lives that would tell some big stories that would let our imaginations run wild, particularly when we were little kids. "Big Fish" centers on a father that does this frequently and a son that doesn't know whether to believe anything his father has told him.
All the stories are fun and intriguing with great directing and imagery from Tim Burton and fine acting by everyone involved in this picture. Albert Finney and Ewan McGregor (who I just realized is one of my favorite actors, possibly because of my Star Wars bias) effectively bring the adventurous storyteller, Edward Bloom, to life. Both actors were just fun to watch in this movie as was Danny DeVito, in a perfectly fitted role as a circus owner/ringmaster, and the beautiful Alison Lohman as the object of Ed Bloom's affection.
However, there were some moments in the movie that did test my patience a little. The movie was a little long, some of the lighting in the scenes was pretty dark, and I realized I preferred watching Ed Bloom's stories acted out rather than just hearing Ed Bloom talk about them. Whenever I have talked to someone like Ed Bloom, who goes off on stories like he did, I'd probably roll my eyes and tune them out. Maybe I won't do that anymore!!
All that aside, though, this is one hell of a movie! It has a lot of heart and imagination, and it actually choked me up a little. It definitely got to me in a very good way. When this comes out on DVD, I will definitely add it to my collection, enjoy it for years to come, and maybe share the magic with others!
My IMDb Rating: 10/10. My Yahoo! Grade: A (Outstanding)