Fairy tale

Rating: 10/10 (27 April 2014)

First and foremost, I should admit that most of the reason I love Big Fish is that I've seen it 15 times and cried every single time. Its light and airy, creative with a great sense of humor, and yet the true story of a lost connection between a father and son is important enough to get those waterworks going every time.
The main reason this movie is so great is the story itself. It's a return to a storytelling that we'd forgotten about. The recreation of fairy tales that are brand new but seem familiar. Every segment of Edward Bloom's life is mostly believable and just partially fantastical. Instead of delving deep into a false world, Tim Burton adds a bit of a shine and spark to our reality so that it remains recognizable while still amazing us. It is a story told about the life of a man, the end of that life, and the eternal nature of it as it's carried on by his son.
There's something ancient and deeply human about that concept – one that goes back to the earliest cultures on the planet. It's also an idea that's gone out of fashion in a way, but the idea that we can achieve immortality through our children is brought into bright forefront along with the psychological weight of finding elements of your father in yourself, working through distance with a family member, and finding closure. Yes, it's the kind of movie that legitimizes Freud and makes you want to call your father afterward.