Well, it’s not a short one…” Stories are our essence of life. They grow and change with us. They allow us to reconstruct the past, and put our slant on things. They don’t’ have make sense, and they don’t all have to be fact. That’s what kind of story this is. Big Fish, directed by Tim Burton, is a heartwarming, comedic film, with many twists and turns. It explores the world of an eccentric father, while telling his life story. And so, our story begins.
It is Edward’s myths, of course, that really reveal the man he is. Tim Burton mixes tender heartfelt drama with zany, outrageous scenes, skipping from past to present, while keeping the tension alive. Finding the town of Ashton and small pond for the big fish he is, Edward sets out for the wilder world. Through witches, werewolves, and giants you can see Edward changes and grows with each new experience. As Edward’s retells his story, Will begins to realize that his father has always been true.
Big Fish is a film that might not be great, as far as objective film criteria, but it is a spellbinding, entrancing work that got to my heart in a way that few films ever have. This is, by far, one of the best films I have ever seen ABOUT storytelling. It explores what stories are, what they mean to people, and why they are so important, despite the fact that some may be fabricated or exaggerated. It is also a fantastic father-son film, and the relationship that is most at the heart of Big Fish is that between Edward Bloom and his son, Will.
The Review on Big Fish
Big Fish The movie Big Fish can hardly be described as such that has a plot, in traditional sense of this word. We will be much better off referring to it as compilation of seemingly odd stories, which nevertheless are united by the motif of existential transcendence, as the way of perceiving the true essence of surrounding reality. Will Bloom come to visit his dying father Edward, who takes an ...
Edward has always been a master storyteller. He goes on and on in a seemingly endless palaver about his extraordinary life and all its wacky mishaps. At least this is how Will perceives it. He knows that his father is making up stuff and/or blowing things way out of proportion, and it bothers him that in the waning years of his father’s life, Edward has not shown what Will believes is his true self. Just like Will, we in the audience experience Edward’s captivating tales, and just like Will, we plumb their depths for nuggets of truth, in an effort to separate fact from fiction.
This is the film’s (fish) hook, and once it sinks itself in, it carries you on a journey that is unexpected, enchanting, outrageous, and genuinely moving. Edward’s encounter with a witch (early in the film) plants a question in the audience’s mind that we know must be answered by film’s end. When this is finally resolved (along with a number of other things), the result is remarkable. I have rarely seen a collection of images that have stirred my emotions so much. In the end of the film, Will ends up taking on Edwards abilities by telling his father one of his own stories on his deathbed.
So the film came full circle and Will realized the importance of story-telling to his father, and to himself. I did have a few problems with this film. The first would be the overly exaggerated southern accent it tends to take away from a few of the scenes because you’re more focused on how they talk rather than what they’re saying. Also I can see how very few can relate on a personal level to this story. But either way this film breathes new life into story-telling and gives it a new spin. This is one of the most pleasant surprises to come out of the body of 2003 films.
I never expected this movie to reach me so deeply, but it has, and I imagine that many who treasure the magic of storytelling will feel the same way. In less capable hands, Big Fish could be seen as a liar’s a life. In trying to reshape the world around his fantasy, Edward wants to right the all the wrongs the world and he has made. The fact that he can’t is his greatest tragedy. Edward Bloom teaches us all, that no matter what you do, you always just keep on “swimming”. This Big Fish is a great catch!
The Essay on My Father’s Life by Raymond Carver
The last paragraph of this essay is my favorite by far, “…in their beautiful voices out of my childhood. Raymond. ” The author of this story made it so tangible the dislike Raymond Jr. had for his birth name that it felt like a true revelation when the character finally embraced it. To hear his father’s name echo as his own name and to enjoy it leaves the reader with the same sense of happiness. ...
