Big Fish: the power of myth

Directed by Tim Burton and with Ewan McGregor playing the leading role, Big Fish (2003) could be nothing but an unusual and eccentric film which relates the story of Edward Bloom: a big fish in a small pond.

Ewan McGregor as young Edward Bloom

The film tells the story of Will, a 30-old-years man, recently married, who goes back home because his father is dying. After having argued strongly with him three years ago (because Will had always thought that his father stories where stupid lies), he tries to reconstruct his father’s fascinating and, for him, unbelievable story with the aim of know the truth behind the myth.

However, the protagonist of Big Fish is Edward Bloom, his unexpected and surprising adventures in the pursuit of doing great things. He believes himself destined for  achieving everything he wants, and is determined to it. Never mind the obstacles and never fearing death, Edward met extraordinary people, too incredible to be true, such as Karl the giant, a witch or the Chinese Siamese twins.

Talking about the structure of the film, it is told in flashbacks, from the present time to his father youth. Due to that, the most part of the film takes place from the 40s to the 70s and that is reflected in the dressing of the characters, the cars and behaviour of people. On this side, the film gives a realistic view of the last century, what involves the audience even more in the story. In Big Fish, the director of such illusory films as Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow (Tim Burton), tries to balance his gift for fantasy with a more naturalistic approach. It must be said that the Film is based in a book edited in 1998: Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions.

Is has been said that Tim Burton is not as good at ending stories as he is creating them. Sometime they are so fantastic that make you feel in a fairy tale, so when finally the end comes, is very disappointing. Nevertheless, this is not the case of Big Fish. It has the perfect compelling and happy ending for the perfect story.

Some critics have compared Big Fish with one of the biggest box-office hits in cinema history: Forrest Gump. Both stories have similarities, of course, they both tell, episodically, the life of  a US man with a very characteristic personality.  Nevertheless, while FG tends to realistic stories, in BF there is no limit for Burton’s imagination due to everything is a tale. Moreover, Forrest and Edward are totally different. While Forrest achieves impressive things by chance, Edward fight for his convictions to achieve what he wants.

It is important to detect the metaphor that Burton introduces in the film in order to understand the film in its entirety. We all have heard about the fantastic stories about huge fishes that fishermen tell among them, and Tim Burton creates a perfect metaphor about this topic because, though the size of the fish is open to question, its existence isn't. And so is his father life, his story is true, but...in which extent?

 

Big Fish is a 21^st Century fairy tale where drama, humour, realism and surrealism are perfectly combined, creating a magnificent and poignant story, for all audiences, where getting bored is impossible. Facts are fine, but some truths can only be told by fiction, and this movie tells a captivating tale that is a delight for the eye, the heart, and the spirit. Highly recommended. You will repeat every year.