A meal you'll remember

Rating: 9/10 (23 July 2000)

"Edward Scissorhands" reminds me of nothing so much as one of those fantastic Caribbean meals that blends flavors, colors, and textures you'd never think of putting together -- but, composed by an artful chef, becomes a food experience to be retold for years. The characters provide the pungent flavors: Depp's innocent Edward, Ryder's ethereal Kim, Arkin's crusty Bill Boggs, Wiest's sweet Peg Boggs, Hall's brutal Jim, Baker's man-hungry Joyce, and Price's cadaverously paternal Inventor. Edward's environs give color, from the black and white of his castle, to the eerie green of his gardens, to the pastel-mint kitsch of his neighbors' houses. And the story puts the meal together with softness, chew, and crunch, and the romance between Edward and Kim finishes the meal sweetly.
Of course, when your chef is Tim Burton and your server is Vincent Price (in one of his last performances), the lights are dim, the tablecloth is black, and the candlesticks are cobwebbed. Though presented as a children's fable (which, like Rocky and Bullwinkle, also satisfies the adults who "get" what the children don't), this might not be for kids who still fear the darkness under the bed. But for anyone older, reserve an evening. Start with jerk chicken, roll "Edward Scissorhands," and finish with coconut pudding.