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Movies / On DVD / Big Fish
Big Fish

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Big Fish (2003)

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Reviews Counted:203

Fresh:156

Rotten:47

Average Rating:7.2/10

Consensus: A charming father-and-son tale filled with typical Tim Burton flourishes.

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for a fight scene, some images of nudity and a suggestive reference

Runtime: 2 hrs 5 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:23-01-2004

Synopsis: In Tim Burton's family film BIG FISH, a gifted storyteller named Edward Bloom (Albert Finney), who lives in a small town in Alabama, recounts tall tales of his wild worldly adventures. These are... In Tim Burton's family film BIG FISH, a gifted storyteller named Edward Bloom (Albert Finney), who lives in a small town in Alabama, recounts tall tales of his wild worldly adventures. These are shown in flashback with Ewan McGregor playing the young Bloom. Wonderful special effects and vibrant colors that pop off the screen make this Burton film a much sunnier experience than his macabre gems EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and BEETLEJUICE. Yet his signature quirky artistry is unmistakable, and the movie benefits from crisp production values and a loveable, bizarre cast of characters. Told through a series of vignettes, Bloom's stories involve a witch, a giant, a haunted forest, and yes, a big fish. A self-described small-town hero, Bloom explains how he left home at 18 determined to experience anything and everything life could dish out. He worked for the circus, took on daring assignments as a WWII soldier, and rambled across the country as a zany traveling salesman. Utterly unbelievable yet magical and delightful, Bloom's stories just don't translate to his son Will (Billy Crudup) who wants to know his dad's "true" life story. But little by little--through increasingly outlandish tales at which Will cannot resist smirking--the two begin to understand each other, and Bloom weaves his stories into their genealogical fabric. [More]

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman, Helena Bonham-Carter, Robert Guillaume, Steve Buscemi, Danny DeVito, Marion Cotillard, Matthew McGrory, Loudon Wainwright

Director: Tim Burton

Director: Tim Burton
Screenwriter: John August
Producer: Richard D. Zanuck, Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks
Composer: Danny Elfman
Studio: Columbia Pictures

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Reviews for Big Fish

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201 - 212 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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By the time the end credits roll around, there's a distinct possibility that male audience members will find themselves shedding a tear or two.

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
12/07/03
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

Big Fish will draw out the story-loving child in you who still enjoys exploring dreams, fantasies, and larger-than-life adventures.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
12/07/03
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Scott Mantz' Movie Reviews | comment Comment
12/07/03
Scott A. Mantz
Scott A. Mantz
Scott Mantz' Movie Reviews

Not only is Mr. Burton at the top of his form in endowing his tallest stories and wildest magical conceits with emotional conviction, but he is aided by a superb acting ensemble that never loses its footing in the treacherous swamps of make-believe.

Full Review Source: New York Observer | comment Comment
12/04/03
Andrew Sarris
Andrew Sarris
New York Observer

A gently overstuffed cinematic piñata, crammed with tall tales -- with giants and circuses and fairy-tale woods, plus a huge squirmy catfish, all served up with a literal matter-of-fact fancy that is very pleasing.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
12/04/03
Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly

If you avoid looking for an admission of fakery, you may find that the exaggeration and the visual wizardry have manifested themselves as family-friendly entertainment.

Full Review Source: Cinema Signals | comment Comment
12/02/03
Jules Brenner
Jules Brenner
Cinema Signals

Belabored oddity that is one long-winded tall tale illustrated with hammy, artificial sets and gee-whiz acting.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
12/01/03
Kirk Honeycutt
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

By piling on the cuteness, Burton suffocates us with it. It's really a shame, because in most respects, this is a handsomely made movie.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
11/29/03
Lewis Beale
Lewis Beale
Film Journal International

A truly wondrous film of love and renewal.

Full Review Source: Hot Button | comment Comment
11/28/03
David Poland
David Poland
Hot Button

An amazing motion picture experience..“Big Fish” is a very special movie..so enriching, so heartwarming, so funny, so touching and so breathtaking

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
11/25/03
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Film Threat

Big Fish is love and death, Burton style.

Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
11/23/03
Ed Gonzalez
Ed Gonzalez
Slant Magazine

Director Tim Burton finally hooks the one that got away: a script that challenges and deepens his visionary talent.

Full Review Source: Rolling Stone | comment Comment
11/20/03
Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
 
 
201 - 212 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
all

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