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Big Fish

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Big Fish

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Summary

Fantasy drama directed by Tim Burton, starring Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney, and featuring Billy Crudup. On his deathbed, travelling salesman Edward Bloom is reunited with his estranged journalist son and recounts a variety of colourful adventures in which he encounters a giant, a witch and other fantastic creatures.

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Review

A star rating of 2 out of 5.

Brian Pendreigh

After his foray into the dangerous world of remakes with Planet of the Apes, director Tim Burton returned to more familiar territory here - a strange place somewhere between reality and fantasy, dream and nightmare. Albert Finney plays Edward Bloom, an Alabama travelling salesman whose apparent neglect and selfishness, coupled with ridiculous stories of his exploits, have driven a wedge between him and his son, Will (Billy Crudup). Called to his father's deathbed, Will is infuriated when his wife is regaled with tall tales in which young Edward (Ewan McGregor) encounters a giant, a witch, a shape-changing circus ringmaster and a big fish no one can catch. Intent on exposing his father, the disgruntled son sets out to learn the truth. Despite being confined to his bed, Finney conjures up the charisma of the fabulist - brought to life in flashback by McGregor, performing his familiar but effective cheeky chappy routine. Essentially a road movie, Big Fish drifts colourfully along, but ultimately lacks the edge that made Edward Scissorhands so powerful, as well as so strange.

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7.9/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameYoung Edward BloomEwan McGregorEdward BloomAlbert FinneyWill BloomBilly CrudupSandra BloomJessica LangeJenny / The WitchHelena Bonham CarterYoung SandraAlison LohmanDr BennettRobert GuillaumeJosephineMarion CotillardKarl the GiantMatthew McGroryDon Price (age 18-22)David DenmanMildredMissi PyleBeamenLoudon Wainwright IIIPingAda TaiJingArlene TaiNorther WinslowSteve BuscemiAmos CallowayDanny DeVitoMr SoggybottomDeep Roy

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Crew

rolenameDirectorTim Burton

Details

Theatrical distributor

Columbia TriStar

Released on

2004-01-23

Languages

English

Guidance

Edited for language and violence, and contains brief nudity.

Available on

video, DVD and Blu-ray

Formats

Colour

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