BIG FISH

REVIEWED BY SHANNON H.

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: sensuality, nudity, thematic elements

Rated:

Tim Burton's films have either been wonderfully successful (Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas) or just really pathetic (Mars Attacks). Either way, Burton's latest creation, Big Fish (based on the novel of the same name) is a wonderful fantasy ride that adults and older teen-agers will enjoy. Humor, stories, and the human condition make up a wonderful film.

Will Bloom (Billy Crudup) has grown up with a rather peculiar and eccentric father, Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor). Ed Bloom is known to be a fantastic storyteller and filled his son Will and others with his tall tales of his life's adventures. Will was fascinated by these stories until he grew up and realized that they sounded too good to be true. After his wedding, Will Bloom cut off ties from the now elderly Edward Bloom (Albert Finney) for three years because he felt that all his father's stories were blatant lies and thus, didn't know who his father really was.

In three years' time, old Ed Bloom is now dying of cancer and Will and his expectant wife Josephine fly out to visit him for one last time. Will takes advantage of this opportunity and tries to find out who his dad really is instead of having to listen to endless stories about his supposed adventures. Still, he is unsatisfied because his father still keeps telling tall tales of his youth while his mother Sandra (Jessica Lange) and Josephine are engrossed in these "big fish stories," such as Ed catching the largest fish in the pond the day his son was born, visiting a town where all the inhabitants wore no shoes, working at a carnival just to find out about the love of his life, etc. In fact, everyone but Will enjoys hearing these fantastic bits about Ed Bloom's life. 

Still not satisfied, Will Bloom sets out to his father's attic, looking up old papers and documents to prove the "authenticity" of these so-called facts. He ends up meeting with the doctor who delivered him at birth and realizes the story his dad told him about catching the biggest fish was false. Will also meets with Jenny (Helena Bonham Carter), a friend of Ed to find out if his dad ever carried an affair with another woman because he was known to flirt with other women occasionally (he is relieved to find that it wasn't true). Now Will isn't sure if his father is who he says he is.

Although Big Fish might come off as a whimsical, modern day Wizard of Oz, it's rated PG13 for a reason and is not be appropriate for kids 12 and under. There's no actual sex scenes but two shots of brief female backside nudity (non-sexual) and one shot of brief male backside nudity of carnival manager Amos, played by Danny DeVito (also non-sexual). There are a couple of sexual references. Ed Bloom makes a joke that implies that his mother slept with the milkman and therefore his dad was the guy who delivered the milk every day.  he old Ed Bloom (Albert Finney) is seen sensually cuddling his wife in a bathtub full of water (both are fully clothed). While fixing Jenny's home, young Ed Bloom is tempted but wards off Jenny's advances, saying that he is in love with his wife, Sandra (nothing explicit is seen ). Violence is limited to a couple of fistfights. While the younger Ed Bloom is talking to Sandra, her then-fiancée beats him up (his face is slightly bloodied). While serving in the Korean war, young Ed Bloom fistfights with Northern Korean soldiers while they were watching a showgirl dance. There are some scattered cuss words: two or three d***s, a couple of h***s, and one use of the word b****.  There's also a pinch of witchcraft, but it's quite minor.

The film does have a moderate amount of Christian content' one can see Biblical allusions. According to one review of the film at Christian Spotlight, the story of young Ed Bloom working three years to meet his wife, Sandra, can be compared to the Biblical story where Jacob spends 7-14 years working to marry the love of his life, Rebekah. Ed Bloom mentions a lesson he learned in Sunday School; that the bigger the challenge, the better the reward. God never gives us something He feels we can't accomplish, even if it seems too big. Big or small, each challenge God gives us will reward us greatly. In the film, Ed Bloom faced several amazing feats but he took them all because he felt that he would be greatly rewarded. We should also remember Robert Frost's poem The Road Less Taken where the character took "the road less traveled by" and it made a great deal of difference. Ed definitely took the "road less traveled" and it took him on great adventures. 

Even though some of Ed's stories are a little on the fictional side, they are useful in illustrating Biblical themes that are applicable to our lives. That's the main reason I loved this film. It was fun, cute, and at times, heart-wrenching. It was definitely worth the price of the rental and the DVD features are endless. If the brief nudity and profanity were scrapped, it would easily make a PG. Speaking of brief nudity, getting a glimpse of Danny DeVito's bare backside was a little unsettling to me. I don't know if I can ever watch any of his movies again. Still, this film is a real treat to watch and is better than Tim Burton's earlier productions. Do yourself a favor and rent this on DVD with the cool bonus features. You will not be disappointed.