By Alicia Roache, Staff Reporter
Danny DeVito as Amos Calloway the circus owner in a scene from 'Big Fish'. - Contributed
'BIG FISH' is a good movie. It is a tall tale that comprises many other tall tales, but it has enough substance to make it a truly wonderful flick. One is tempted to call it a drama-fantasy but it has an interesting mix of movies of different genres to make it unique. There is of course drama, there is fantasy, action, romance, comedy and suspense, all of which keeps your interest to the final tear-jerker.
It is not a blockbuster movie but it should be.
The movie revolves around the troubled relationship between the father, Edward Bloom( Albert Finney/Ewan McGregor) and his son Will Bloom (Billy Crudup). The major deterrent to their relationship is their opposite characters. Edward is/ was a 'fanciful' travelling salesman, while Will is the practical journalist. As Will tries to separate the facts of his father's life from the fiction, the man from the myth, the truth unfolds in smaller more 'fantastic' stories.
PUNCHLINES
Will's attempt to learn more about his father before he dies is met with punchlines and indirect answers and tall tales, which Will flatly refuses to believe. He thinks his father is a fake, whom only he can see through. The enigmatic Edward does not reveal too much of himself, and even at the end, we get a sense that Edward Bloom is indeed like an iceberg, we only see the ten percent that is above water.
Albert Finney and Billy Crudup are very convincing in their portrayal of estranged father and son as you feel both the son's frustration and the father's desire to be accepted by him. The movie contains many metaphors for life, and each story-within-the-story illustrates some truth about life.
Jessica Lange is impressive in her role as Sandra Bloom, Edward's wife. The sub-plot that surrounds their relationship is very romantic and inspiring. The movie is directed by Tim Burton and is adapted from Daniel Wallace's book of the same name.
MYTHICAL CHARACTERS
The movie is not short on mythical characters who are interesting to watch. There is of course the 'Big fish' which gets that way by never being caught, Karl the giant who lived in a cave (Matthew McGrory) the conjoined twins Ping and Jing (Ada Tai & Arlene Tai), and the witch (Helena Bonham Carter).
The tales are so enthralling that not even the pragmatic Will can resist their lure for long.
Big Fish takes the audience on an 'adventure that is a big as life itself'.
