Big Fish (2003)
“The truth is, I didn’t see anything of myself in my Father”
Based on Daniel Wallace’s novel “Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions”, this was a Tim Burton film I avoided for too many years. From the trailers and the reviews it was clear I’d find it hard to watch as I lost my Father when I was young and unfortunately, watched his slow disintegration and passing. It was harrowing at times and seemingly replicated within this film. However, after avoiding the film for so long I can more happily report that I needn’t have avoided for so long. It certainly resonates deeply with me, but it’s such a heart warming and uplifting tale and more importantly, a truly stunning film.
Narrated throughout, but primarily by the three main characters, after a gentle back story driven opening, we frequently cross timelines and generations and the flashbacks used are key to the film. Present day is approximately 25% of the film, whereas the remaining 75% is flashback driven, brilliantly and expertly so by Burton. The flashbacks themselves often dissolve from present day and the juxtaposition is also key. This is very much a story of storytellers and of people telling stories, and very tall tales. Are they real? Are they embellished to tell a story? Are they a fantasy from reality? This film is all this, and much, much more.
The brilliant Albert Finney plays “Edward Bloom Senior”, recounting his tall tales as we flashback to his younger days, and Ewan McGregor is excellent as the younger “Edward Bloom Junior”. McGregor plays the younger self brilliantly, always smiling, ever hopeful and full of cheer and optimism despite whatever life throws at him. Billy Cudrup plays son “Will Bloom” with a detached charm, and his scenes together with his aged Father are superb. Both Finney and Cudrup excel here. Excellent supporting and cameo roles abound, notably Jessica Lange as “Sandra Bloom Senior”, Marion Cotillard as “Josephine Bloom”, Matthew McGrory as “Karl the Giant” and Helena Bonham Carter in her husband’s film as “The Witch” (with a very interesting glass eye!). Steve Buscemi is also superbly funny in a small cameo as “Norther Winslow” and Danny De Vito similarly so as “Amos Calloway”.
Due to the interweaving of narratives, generations and of characters playing more than one role, it is particularly difficult to appraise this film without providing large spoilers, so I’ll specifically concentrate on the Director touches he added to this film. On the surface this doesn’t appear to be an ideal Tim Burton film but he brings the flashbacks to life with a real zest, bright and full of colour against a more monochrome present day. A directorial theme of using a prominent colour (usually red) against a greyish/neutral backdrop is again well used, especially as Bloom junior (McGregor) enters a dreamlike, picture postcard town, his dominant red shirt against a completely neutral dressed population, and De Vito’s red coated circus ringmaster. As the tall tales grow taller, a circus performer in love, a presumed dead soldier in World War 2 to successful businessman, so too does Burton’s flourish with the absurd and surreal, often to brilliant effect.
The opening circus scene is a joy, climbing the highs and lows of love against a surreal backdrop of freeze screen, slow motion and fast forward techniques all used in combination with the circus as another bizarre backdrop. One small chapter encompasses all that is great about Tim Burton. Bloom Junior running through a dark and dank overgrown forest, to emerge into a clean, other worldly dreamlike town and quickly back to a dark, gothic river scene. With a superb first cameo from Steve Buscemi surrounding the Tim Burton trademark of juxtaposing colours and settings, and more besides, but that would go into “spoiler” territory. Suffice to say that small segment of a single scene encapsulates the film and the Director’s approach to the film perfectly.
With a sublime and quiet musical score from regular collaborator Danny Elfman for which he was Oscar nominated but sadly did not win, and inter cut with popular songs of the respective time periods including “Everyday” from Buddy Holly, “All Shook Up” by Elvis Presley and “Man of the Hour” from Eddie Vedder, these all accompany a complicated and compelling story that is well told and expertly tied together. It’s a vibrant feel good film that is clearly a deeply personal one for the Director following the death of both his parents, in 2000 and 2002.
With the astounding period costumes and attention to detail throughout from Colleen Atwood and superb Production Design from Dennis Gassner it is highly surprising to note as I write this retrospectively that neither was nominated for an Oscar for their overwhelming respective achievements. Dare I say that this also extends to the Director himself who produces a heart warming and deeply affecting film with a near constant smile on its face. Be warned it may make you cry, but tears tinged with smiles and tears of real joy too.
“Big Fish” can also be found within my 7 volumes of “Essential Film Reviews Collection” on Amazon with each and every volume free to read should you have a Kindle “Unlimited” package. All 9 of my self-published books can also be read for free on Kindle (but go on, treat yourself to a paperback or hardback version!) and should you watch my short Youtube video linked in the middle of this article you’ll also find links to my Patreon and Buy Me A Coffee and other ways of supporting my work as an independent writer.
"The Essential Film Reviews Collection VOL.1" - link to Amazon
Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.