Big Fish (2003)
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Cast
as Young Ed Bloom
as Senior Ed Bloom
as Will Bloom
as Senior Sandra Bloom
as Young Sandra Bloom
as Jenny/The Witch
as Senior Dr. Bennett
as Josephine Bloom
as Karl
as Don Price (Age 18-22)
as Don Price (age 18-22)
as Mildred
as Beamen
as Beamen
as Ping
as Jing
as Norther Winslow
as Amos Calloway
as Mr. Soggybottom
as Ed Bloom (Age 10)
as Spectre
as Jenny (Age 8)
as Will Bloom (Age 6-8)
as Ed's Father
as Ed's Mother
as Zacky Price (Age 10)
as Don Price (Age 12)
as Wilbur (Age 10)
as Ruthie (Age 8)
as Little Brave
as Will's Date
as Pretty Girl
as Mayor
as Sharecropper
as Little Girl
as Banjo Man
as Shotgun Toter
as Some Farmer
as Shephard
as Townsperson
as Townsperson
as Townsperson
as Cashier
as Collossus
as Parachute Jump Leader
as Chinese Emcee
as Teller Woman
as Piano Student
as Heavy-Set Nurse
as Will's Son
as Kid
as Young Dr. Bennett
as Lobster Woman
as Sideshow Barker
as Econ Professor
as Ventriloquist
as Asian Officer
as Chicken Plant Operator
as Minicipal Dump Owner
as Auctioneer
as Pretty Man
as Old Zacky
as River Woman
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Critic Reviews for Big Fish
All Critics (214) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (164) | Rotten (50) | DVD (30)
The film doesn't so much reject history as selectively rewrite it to its own reactionary, even offensive ends. This might perhaps be just about tolerable were the film funny, illuminating, insightful or moving. It is not.
Overall, the film feels like it issues from a place Burton doesn't inhabit.
Burton shows the rivalry between father and son but not the rancor, which seems to fit with the film's calm lyricism. But the father-son conflict is meant as the dramatic crux, and a forceful actor would have given it some much-needed bite.
A compelling look at the relationships between fathers and sons, and the child coming to terms with the parent's mortality.
A long-winded indulgence in tear-and-a-smile whimsy.
A disappointingly dull thud of a fantasy.
Audience Reviews for Big Fish
Beautiful visually and emotionally. A wonderful examination of relationships and mortality. Albert Finney proves again what a fine actor he is.
Super Reviewer
Will Bloom: A man tells so many stories, that he becomes the stories. They live on after him, and in that way he becomes immortal. "An Adventure As Big As Life Itself." Big Fish is a very interesting movie. The plot jumps around and while we are being told the stories, we, like the child of the man in the stories, don't know what's true and what's false. Now, Big Fish isn't one of my favorites from Tim Burton, but it does show some expansion in his filmmaking. This movie is more real life than anything he's ever done. Sure there's some fantastical elements that remind us of other Burton films, but this one is so much more different than anything he's ever done. Big Fish is the life story of a dying old man, Ed Bloom. He is a storyteller, that tells fantastical stories about his life, which seem to have little to do with reality. His son, Will, also is under the belief that the stories are made up. Either way we get to hear and see the stories the way Ed would have told them. There's a lot of bizarreness going on here as you would suspect with any Burton film. There's a giant, a witch, a humongous fish, and a love story that stops time. Overall the plot elements add up to a pretty satisfactory story even if something seems to be missing from he overall outcome. Big Fish is a film I more appreciate then enjoy. I never have fallen in love with it, but it always entertains and intrigues me. It's well worth a watch as it has solid direction from Burton and it boasts a strong and well-know cast.
Super Reviewer
Fantasy movie by Tim Burton. A man is dying of cancer. His son is desperate to know his father. He tells him how he met his mother. Great cast and story.
Super Reviewer
Big Fish Quotes
| William Bloom: | You know about icebergs, Dad? |
| Edward Bloom (senior): | Do I? I saw an iceberg once. They were haulin' down it down to Texas for drinkin' water. They didn't count on there bein' a elephant frozen inside. The wooly kind. A mammoth. |
| William Bloom: | Dad! |
| Edward Bloom (senior): | What? |
| William Bloom: | I'm tryin' to make a metaphor here. |
| Edward Bloom (senior): | Well, you shouldn't have started with a question, because most people wanna answer questions. You should've started with "the thing about iceberg is" |
| Ed Bloom (Young): | (first lines) There are some fish that cannot be caught. It's not that they are faster or stronger than the other fish, they're just touched by somethin' extra. |
| Ed Bloom (Young): | There are some fish that cannot be caught. It's not that they are faster or stronger than the other fish, they're just touched by somethin' extra. |
| Dr. Bennett (Senior): | Not very excitin', is it? And I suppose if I had to choose between the true version and an elaborate one involvin' a fish and a wedding ring, I might choose the fancy version. But that's just me. |
| William Bloom: | I kinda like your version. |
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