Big Fish

Le Big Fish n'a pas de forme, de goût et surtout pas de moteur. Il n'a qu'une structure mince, chargée d'idées intéressantes et fragiles, mais qui murmurent trop doucement dans le vide. (28/05/2004)

I’m not a fan of Tim Burton and it’s unlikely I’ll ever be. I find his worlds full of bizarre characters annoying and childish more than anything else. (10/09/2009)

Of course Burton did a great job with this. Although Big Fish could easily have ended up as a collection of sentimental and colorfully opulent stories, this film became a beautifully poignant and thought-cohesive work. Edward Bloom is not a psychologically large character, but he is a beautiful symbol of human imagination and how we can build on the world through fantasy. And the whole of Big Fish is actually one big game in which Burton puts the viewer in a position they not only have to believe, but above all to understand why Edward transforms his life into surreal stories. Why Edward is a big fish and why the "truth" of the narrative is irrelevant. Tim Burton recounts the story in his typically picturesque way, not denying the horror elements, but above all not denying his love of the fantasy depicted. The intertwining of imaginative sequences with sequences from the "real" world is done very sensitively, although in some places the film seemed a little unhappily rhythmic and thus lost pace. But the end will make things right – an end that is a final confirmation of how sensitively constructed the film and its idea are. In fact, you have two options: either accept Edward's son's hard-nosed view, or you accept Edward's fantasy. If you choose the latter, you will have a wonderful cinematic experience, which will not formally deny the inspiration of the old masters of European "narrative" film. Given that it has a few weaker spots, I'm leaning towards four stars, but for those honest tears in a beautiful finale, I can't really help but... (24/03/2004)

Absolutely grounding narrative and at the same time Burton's life's work. Edward Bloom will guide you through life, love, fantasy, and family atmosphere so easily that you will start believing every word he says. However, if you do not let yourself be enticed and led, you will experience bitter disappointment. (24/12/2004)

Magical anti-realism in its most touching form. (15/08/2021)

Tim Burton is truly a great storyteller, but this film lacks substance. It has beautifully stitched together images full of colors and inventive directorial ideas that don't provide a deeper meaning or the desire to uncover hidden references, let alone read between the lines. (11/12/2004)

The comparisons with Forrest Gump are no coincidence. Big Fish may not boast such a well-developed story or depth, but its originality and imaginative plot do not put Zemeckis's masterpiece to shame. The biggest credit for this goes to none other than Tim Burton and his directorial mastery, which reaches perhaps the absolute peak here and once again managed to imprint all the action with such a magical and cheerful undertone that I literally jumped with joy. The specific ‘Burtonian’ atmosphere, where in a seemingly normal life three-metre giants and people turning into wolves live in harmony in a beautiful town completely cut off from the outside world, fit in wonderfully. And the casting couldn't have been better, especially Ewan McGregor, who’s a terribly likeable guy and does a great job with his role, but all the others are also worth highlighting, led by the brilliant poet Buscemi and the circus performer DeVito. One of those films you can’t forget. (20/08/2012)

This is simply one of the most beautiful films I know. From the very first time I saw it, I was captivated by the beautiful imagination, kindness of the story, and the bizarreness of the individual characters. "Big Fish" is something that perfectly suits me considering the nature and the belief that truth has many forms, even those that are not true in essence. Simply wonderful. (17/03/2015)