Big Fish

Big Fish is a story about storytelling, about embellishing and adding some extra color to the truth. Albert Finney (Erin Brockovich) plays Ed Bloom, a man who`d tell outlandish stories to anyone who`d listen (willing or not), stories that have become tiresome to hear for his son, Will (dryly played by Billy Crudup), who fails to grasp the magic in his father`s tales. This, in turn, has created a rift between the two, until Ed`s terminal illness is revealed and Will makes one last attempt at connecting with his ailing father. Ed`s "wild" past is re-lived via flashback scenes featuring an enthusiastic Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting) as the young and adventurous Ed, who partly recalls Forrest Gump as he goes on different adventures and encounters fascinating people. Though the string of flashbacks keep things rolling, Fish is slow at first, but gradually swells into an emotional and inspiring finale--in the end, you`re bound to get something wet in your eyes. For someone known for his quirky, ghoulish, gothic fantasies, Big Fish is a surprising and refreshing "departure" for director Tim Burton, but it`s still unmistakably his film: his nuances still pop up here and there, always within the context of a beautiful, endearing film that reminds its viewers not to be afraid to dream and that it`s okay to stretch the truth a little for the sake of a good story. login to post comments

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