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I think some people probably will find it sappy, but I think they probably have no joy in their soul.
I saw Big Fish today - it's only recently had a UK release, and was quite surprised. It's had very mixed press reviews, but I really loved it. I felt, in some ways, it was some of Burton's best work as a director. In fact, the best scenes in some ways were the ones set in the present; there are some beautiful, striking, and breathtaking scenes in the stories (the daffodils spring to mind, for me), but the real coherence of the project was to be found in the contemporary leads. Even though it's very brief, I really, really, loved the scene with Jessica Lange and Albert Finney in the bathtub. That was just beautiful.
I can kind of see the Crudup came over as a weak link, but it's still an effective performance in some ways. I mean, he's a black sheep to his parents; he's lost the childish joy they've always retained, and so it's not quite his fault he's as enthralled as everybody else. I did think he was great in the final scene, to be honest, but I can see I might be in a minority.
I was also quite surprised when Bonham Carter turned up again, but once the explanation for the circularity of everything popped up, I was enthralled. It's a really lovely meditiation about storytelling, the way we preserve ourselves in fiction and the fact that we all only have so many stories to tell. (And to whoever namechecked the Coens - yes, I see the link entirely). It's a very theatrical film, and I loved the fact that there was a curtain call at the end, for everyone to turn up first as they were, and then as they are. That worked well.
Also: I like the wide-eyedness of it; I like the idea that sometimes, love is that simple, life is that large, even in the smallest of smalltowns. I described it to a friend as "big and little all at once"; it's an intimate film - in some ways, you're always aware that these stories are all happening inside Bloom's confining bedchamber.
About the only autopilot thing in the movie for me was Danny Elfman's score, which whilst nice, I didn't notice, and it didn't quite live up to the showbiz billing, as it were.
I've picked up the novel for three quid in a Fopp, and am now really looking forward to reading it. The film certainly touched me; I think part of the joy in the film is that it celebrates storytelling, as an art, as an act to enjoy and partake in regularly, and since I was tiny I've always had stories brimming in my brain; Big Fish reminds me that this is in no way a bad thing.
(Also, the giant kept reminding me of Ron Mueck's giant Mask - or is this just me?) |
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