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Big Fish
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Big Fish

2003
Romance
Drama
2h 5m
A heartwarming journey that delves deep into a fabled relationship between a father and his son.
Directed by:
Tim Burton Tim Burton
Written by:
John August John August Daniel Wallace
+1 more
Starring:
Billy Crudup Billy Crudup Steve Buscemi Steve Buscemi Danny DeVito Danny DeVito Ewan McGregor Ewan McGregor Albert Finney Albert Finney Jessica Lange Jessica Lange Alison Lohman Alison Lohman Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter Missi Pyle Missi Pyle Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard David Denman David Denman Robert Guillaume Robert Guillaume
More
Genres:
Romance, Drama, Fantasy, Adventure
Country:
USA
Languages:
English, Cantonese
imdb More information at IMDb
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Big Fish

2003
Romance
Drama
2h 5m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 60.11% from 14964 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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jebJeb
Rated 24 Mar 2009
91
82nd
I sat down watching Big Fish expecting it to be regular Burton at his decent. However, Burton has completely altered his usual formula and has now concentrated not only on his preserved flair, but the plotline (Which all can appreciate and snuggle up to here). Steve Buscemi is astounding, quite hypnotic and he deserves a lot of recognition. Burton, instead of producing another remake, decided to make this and what a relief he actually did. Proves he's more than just a hollywood director.
Rated 24 Mar 2009
tripwyreTripwyre
Rated 24 Apr 2008
89
90th
Burton is a director famous for his visual style, but his storytelling abilities have always been a bit...off. Classics like Edward Scissorhands and Batman are memorable not for the stories they told so much as the flair with which they told them. Big Fish certainly benefits from that flair, but it uses it to tell a real heartfelt story -- style and substance are in equal measure here. The acting is all solid, but Buscemi steals the show. If this isn't Burton's best, it's certainly among them.
Rated 24 Apr 2008
revolutionoRevolutiono
Rated 21 Dec 2008
9
93rd
By splitting the movie between the real and the fictional worlds, Tim Burton finds a way to keep the sentiment feeling true and still preserve his own style. The movie works as a defense of his own outlandish storytelling in addition to being a (just-short-of-too) emotional look at a father-son relationship.
Rated 21 Dec 2008
cagedwisdomcagedwisdom
Rated 01 Feb 2009
100
90th
Something of a Tim Burton's Forrest Gump, this film has a few issues (such as an at times disjointed narrative structure) that are pretty much instantly rectified by a superb cast, fantastic visuals and quite strong direction from Burton. A truly great story. One of Burton's best, and easily his most heartwarming. If only he'd snap out of his now decade-long remake-producing coma more often.
Rated 01 Feb 2009
kubricksuckskubricksucks
Rated 11 Mar 2007
60
15th
Tim Burton can't do a goddamn thing right without clay
Rated 11 Mar 2007
manhattaManhatta
Rated 08 Mar 2008
65
34th
A sappy story with wonderful visuals (probably Burton's best as far as art direction goes) and decent performances, it just rings strangely hollow.
Rated 08 Mar 2008
ozymandius10ozymandius10
Rated 14 Aug 2007
88
95th
One of the few movies I almost cried in. I'm not usually a Tim Burton fan, but this is a great movie. The storytelling really does take you to another place, and it's really masterful.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
catfacercatfacer
Rated 03 Oct 2010
20
20th
This did not warm my heart, it made my brain melt with its tedious nonsense.
Rated 03 Oct 2010
timmotimmo
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
66th
I wept.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
neonmanNeonman
Rated 01 Oct 2010
54
9th
Such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such, such a short film idea. Would've been better if it were an hour and a half shorter.
Rated 01 Oct 2010
mini_tMini-T
Rated 18 May 2009
90
90th
Mesmerizing. Incredible nice work by the great mind of Tim Burton. Amazing to watch it , without being bored a second. The story will move everybody who watches it. And by the way , Danny DeVito looks great as an old man.
Rated 18 May 2009
mwgerbmwgerb
Rated 01 Oct 2013
56
56th
This is a good movie; it's certainly fun and light-hearted and pretty-looking. But I thought the tall tales and the frame stories clashed, rather than harmonized, invalidating and distracting from the other one, rather than adding meaning. So by the time they get to the REAL MEANING, it's pounded in so much that it feels ineffective and emotionally unengaging. Still, eminently watchable, even it didn't work on a deeper level for me.
Rated 01 Oct 2013
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 14 Aug 2007
63
22nd
Whimsical, cute, well-done. No big complaints. Not much to say... it doesn't stick with you very long.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
xakkmasterXakkMaster
Rated 14 Aug 2008
96
97th
All our lives are extraordinary if you know how to tell the story! Ewan McGregor stars as Edward Bloom, a man who has done quite alot in his lifetime by the sound of it. As his life nears its end, he is confronted by his son who wants to know the truth about all the tall tales he's heard over the years. Perhaps director Tim Burton's finest film, it is a fantasy tale that melds with the real world in a way few films ever have. Both charming and entirely heart warming.
Rated 14 Aug 2008
roofsrunnerroofs_runner
Rated 09 Nov 2009
100
99th
One of my all times movies, though it's constantly being blamed for not being really Burtonish, but it's our life, where there is always a place for such a warm and touching story about the power of love and imagination.
Rated 09 Nov 2009
rufamRufam
Rated 28 Sep 2011
75
72nd
"Big Fish" fails to avoid cliché and sentimentality, the editing is occasionally problematic and sometimes the whimsy feels forced. That doesn't stop it from being one of Burton's finest efforts, a sweet and imaginable fable, told with great energy, conviction, passion for the material and entertaining visual flourishes. The cast is also impressive.
Rated 28 Sep 2011
battletoadBattleToad
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
63rd
Once again, Tim Burton goes and does something that at least temporarily proves that he is a great director. Big Fish is fun and heartwarming, and the outstanding cast deserves recognition for each of their very strange roles in this film. Really good!
Rated 14 Aug 2007
imomercetinImOmerCetin
Rated 07 May 2021
60
29th
Okay.
Rated 07 May 2021
magdabagmagdabag
Rated 01 Oct 2020
89
75th
I'm a big fan of big fish, and you could be too!
Rated 01 Oct 2020
cclzaCCLZA
Rated 17 Feb 2007
60
33rd
Sadly, it's a beautifully over-stylized case of poor direction and writing.
Rated 17 Feb 2007
bojanglesBojangles
Rated 14 Oct 2009
10
2nd
Sink-in-your-chair schmaltz at a constant and full force. So much so that as you're watching it you kind of want to kill yourself.
Rated 14 Oct 2009
chiliChili
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
81st
Great feel to throughout the whole film. Very enjoyable and very grabbing.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
rockwellrockwell
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
24th
we get it tim burton you are excentric
Rated 14 Aug 2007
tripleshTripleSH
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
53rd
If you like Tim Burton, you should like this film. There's not much else to say about this.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
alon_reterAlon Reter
Rated 11 Feb 2011
15
11th
This is one of the of the biggest pieces of kitch and corniness I have ever seen. It barely even has Burton's great eccentric style or iconic creativity, it's a celebration of american tackiness in disguise, and in a bad one too.
Rated 11 Feb 2011
gr8googlyGr8Googly
Rated 21 Jun 2008
82
79th
Burton's best film in my opinion. Finally hitting a perfect link between fantasy and real world emotional connections. Burton surprised many with this one after the disastrous Planet of the Apes remake.
Rated 21 Jun 2008
citysqwirlcitysqwirl
Rated 14 Aug 2007
64
26th
I should have loved this movie -- imagination rising above the mundane pedantries of daily life -- but the moments of imagination started feeling repetative, and when are directors and editors going to realize that slow and ponderous does not equal meaningful and heartwarming?
Rated 14 Aug 2007
cahadras1Cahadras1
Rated 15 Apr 2009
96
96th
I love it
Rated 15 Apr 2009
ssmodkssmodk
Rated 14 Aug 2007
88
78th
Hard to explain in simple terms, but an enjoyable tall tale of the roads we walk in life and what it all means in the end. Heartfelt and the most well-crafted work Burton has ever done, devoid of his usual pretensions.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
rtomatoesRTomatoes
Rated 29 May 2009
77
69th
A charming father-and-son tale filled with typical Tim Burton flourishes.
Rated 29 May 2009
davidblastDavidBlast
Rated 09 Feb 2012
35
20th
I probably give this movie less credit than deserves, but I don't like stories that are obviously taking place in someones fantasy. It's better than 'Sucker Punch', mind, but, listen, If I really wanted to imagine-imagine something, and I were too cheap to buy 3D glasses, I'd go to that great whore house of pretentiousness: The theatre.
Rated 09 Feb 2012
cultofsamecult_of_same
Rated 15 Nov 2008
85
98th
A reimagined life with saturated colour <3 <3
Rated 15 Nov 2008
bethelysabethelysa
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
51st
Not as good as the book, but charming nonetheless. Albert Finney is top-notch, and Alison Lohman is luminescent. Though parts of the movie were a bit over-the-top, the ending brought genuine and well-earned tears to my eyes.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
nrhughesnrhughes
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
72nd
Poignant, charming, and all around a beautiful film.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 05 Jan 2008
3
38th
S'alright.
Rated 05 Jan 2008
paxtonPaxton
Rated 26 May 2012
80
88th
Aside from my looking twice as handsome as Ewan McGregor, the stories about my past aren't embellished at all.
Rated 26 May 2012
carpetgiantCarpetgiant
Rated 09 May 2014
87
74th
One Burton, two Burton, red Burton, blue Burton.
Rated 09 May 2014
eglantineEglantine
Rated 29 May 2008
90
84th
Sweet film! The most important thing is how you see your life, not how it really is! Your imagination can change and rearrenge everything!
Rated 29 May 2008
ozleemozleem
Rated 22 Oct 2010
84
82nd
hayal mi gerçek mi?
Rated 22 Oct 2010
lokiLoki
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
73rd
Thoughtful and moving and full of great Burton visuals.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
fabfunkfabfunk
Rated 14 Aug 2007
53
46th
Superficial but mostly pleasing drama about a stubborn son and his fantastical father.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
ktappektappe
Rated 12 Feb 2008
71
41st
A wee bit too much fantasy and nostalgia for my tastes. Yes, that's kind of the point of the film so I've not knocked it too hard, but you really have to be in the mood for an "out there" type of flick to enjoy this one. It had great potential with the father-son relationship, but that never really felt...um....real. In fact, the fantasy setting of the film gets in the way of the viewer truly taking that relationship to heart.
Rated 12 Feb 2008
amirmovieamirmovie
Rated 08 Oct 2012
89
93rd
It's a movie, the way it's meant to be, with all needed fantasies, emotions and great..really great pictures. I love it!
Rated 08 Oct 2012
nathandarkoNathanDarko
Rated 12 Sep 2008
98
98th
Big Fish isn't the typical Burton Movie, maybe it's his multifaceted Movie ever.Full of incredible characters, ideas and beautiful scenes. I love this Movie.
Rated 12 Sep 2008
duaneneitzelDuaneNeitzel
Rated 14 Aug 2007
65
35th
The parent's story is good. The son's angst is tiresome.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
jarmannJarmann
Rated 24 Nov 2007
65
31st
While great on visuals, the movie is too weak in the story-telling. Too bad.
Rated 24 Nov 2007
pewbengpewbeng
Rated 02 Dec 2009
89
88th
Watched this movie with two buddies. So, three grown up men are sitting there and say absolutely nothing throughout the movie. After the film ended we were teary-eyed and swore to never talk about it again. Oops..
Rated 02 Dec 2009
josauucejosauuce
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
53rd
not a huge tim burton fan, but this one was pretty cute. minus the end when the fish jumps out of the water into the sky.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
purgatospurgatos
Rated 15 May 2008
69
46th
Manipulative and sappy, but looks really pretty.
Rated 15 May 2008
filmdotfilmdot
Rated 28 Jun 2010
95
93rd
Wow. Gorgeously amusing and wondrous. Billy Crudup and Ewan Mcgregor are great here but Albert Finney is marvelous. A story for the ages. That ending was beautiful.
Rated 28 Jun 2010
bampbamp
Rated 08 Jul 2008
90
62nd
ewan, billy, family stuffs.
Rated 08 Jul 2008
parmandurParmandur
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
61st
Pretty good, but not Burton's best.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
optimusmikeOptimus_mike
Rated 28 Oct 2008
80
71st
A pleasant modern day fairy tale.
Rated 28 Oct 2008
abunchofcatsABUNCHOFCATS
Rated 28 Apr 2009
80
52nd
Heart-touching movie about a tall tale come to life.
Rated 28 Apr 2009
houspillerhouspiller
Rated 05 Aug 2009
100
88th
A Full film, really exciting
Rated 05 Aug 2009
mertagabeymertagabey
Rated 26 Aug 2010
67
65th
finally a tim burton movie without too much face powder. he'd make a great director and keep the budget low on his other films, if he didn't use face powder that much.
Rated 26 Aug 2010
marc01marc01
Rated 11 Feb 2009
85
70th
Beautiful.
Rated 11 Feb 2009
viciousVicious!
Rated 03 Jul 2011
73
45th
Ewan McGregor natürlich super, der Film ist aber leider zu zerstückelt und hat nicht diesen Sog den Forrest Gump erzeugt. Son ein bisschen nach dem Motto: Weder Fisch noch Fleisch. Außerdem sind die Geschichtchen dann auch nicht skurril oder unterhaltsam genug, um wirklich vollends zu überzeugen. Dafür war das Ende herrlich emotional ohne viel Kitsch und erzwungene Traurigkeit.
Rated 03 Jul 2011
mystericemysterice
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
55th
Interesting story and some very noteworthy individual scenes but overall didnt get my motor running.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
toolikeyouTooLikeYou
Rated 14 Sep 2015
80
56th
Watched the last scene through a film of tears and I'm borderline sociopathic.
Rated 14 Sep 2015
delirium9Delirium9
Rated 13 Sep 2008
100
93rd
This is the film I watch when I'm in a bittersweet mood... brings back memories.
Rated 13 Sep 2008
antonAnton
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
40th
Not Burton's best. But good for the family.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
citizenxCitizenX
Rated 21 Jul 2010
80
91st
great story, nicely told, great acting on buscemis and devitos part, great soundtrack, specially eddie vedder
Rated 21 Jul 2010
kingcrim413kingcrim413
Rated 30 Jun 2023
55
3rd
A cheesy, overly nostalgic celebration of storytelling. Though its insistent sentimentality did tug at my heartstrings a little bit, it always felt forced and never earned, save for maybe the payoff at the end. Billy Crudup's performance was wooden and distant, which perhaps lent itself to the character, perhaps not, though it certainly failed to endear me to him. I can't say it aged well.
Rated 30 Jun 2023
xilpaximXilpaxim
Rated 06 Jul 2010
85
56th
Sometimes seemed a bit forced, but interesting movie none the less.
Rated 06 Jul 2010
screenwriterscreenwriter
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
84th
This is one to watch in the string of "father-son" movies you might ahve planned someday. It's guaranteed to make you cry at the end as much as you did when Costner played catch with his dad at the end of FIeld Of Dreams
Rated 14 Aug 2007
ofallpiecesofallpieces
Rated 31 May 2008
99
96th
Amazing. Burton delivers again.
Rated 31 May 2008
el_caminoEl Camino
Rated 06 Aug 2008
84
86th
A slightly restrained Tim Burton movie that works
Rated 06 Aug 2008
tritwo1tritwo1
Rated 06 Aug 2010
25
19th
ehhhh
Rated 06 Aug 2010
vincentevincente
Rated 14 Aug 2007
75
60th
null
Rated 14 Aug 2007
maialocuramaia_locura
Rated 13 Aug 2011
90
91st
muy riqui!!!!
Rated 13 Aug 2011
fudgiebfudgieb
Rated 14 Aug 2007
75
33rd
It was magical, but ultimately unsatisfying.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
bartowskibartowski
Rated 08 Sep 2012
60
21st
it makes you think about life
Rated 08 Sep 2012
priokanopriokano
Rated 05 Aug 2010
7
80th
eu vi a contra gosto porque o André resolveu ir assistir com o irmão bem nas vésperas da minha prova de estatística!! Peguei birra mesmo... mas até que o filme é legal...
Rated 05 Aug 2010
dizzleyDizzley
Rated 17 Aug 2010
55
30th
I don't quite get the fuss about this film.
Rated 17 Aug 2010
samsterSamster
Rated 21 May 2014
83
56th
Not bad, Ewen Mcgregor and a couple other actors helped save this film.
Rated 21 May 2014
jonquilljonquill
Rated 11 Sep 2007
78
26th
I should have loved this movie. I didn't. I'm still ticked at Burton for that.
Rated 11 Sep 2007
theaceoffiretheaceoffire
Rated 16 Mar 2012
80
35th
Liked it. Had a friend who was an extra in it. Not one of my "rewatch 100000 times" films.
Rated 16 Mar 2012
deskyetDeskyet
Rated 23 Mar 2011
76
40th
Vredu film, ampak me ni dovolj potegnil. :)
Rated 23 Mar 2011
evranaevrana
Rated 17 Aug 2008
94
96th
The penultimate sunday morning movie. heartwarming without overcooking it or burning it into a char. I always prefer big stories; but sometimes a good, old story which is told just right find routes in your mind to old, derelict towns that deserve renovation...
Rated 17 Aug 2008
sophiesophie
Rated 19 Dec 2008
90
95th
This movie is so unbelievably beautiful!
Rated 19 Dec 2008
pampaPampa
Rated 31 Oct 2009
80
70th
Muy Buena
Rated 31 Oct 2009
stuie299stuie299
Rated 24 Sep 2013
75
46th
I wish the film had more Ewan McGregor and and less Albert Finney. That's not to say Finney did a bad job but more how boring and cliched his father-son dynamic was. I also felt the ending was rushed. Really wish they could of gone in a different direction with the real life scenes as the Forest Gump fairy tale aspect of the film was done really well. Overall fans of Burton will be pleased and non fans should like it better than the average Burton film.
Rated 24 Sep 2013
baranatamanbaranataman
Rated 16 Jan 2016
93
71st
Brilliant movie ! I love Tim Burton universes in each of his movies ! Also, it has a striking ending which made me want to cry. A bit not-exiting in the middle of the movie, but totally I love this movie.
Rated 16 Jan 2016
manfyManfy
Rated 20 Aug 2007
96
99th
A man tells his stories so many times that he becomes the stories. They live on after him. And in that way he becomes immortal.
Rated 20 Aug 2007
tevtev
Rated 15 Mar 2023
45
43rd
had to watch this in school
Rated 15 Mar 2023
mrmartinMrMartin
Rated 23 Sep 2011
95
90th
Yes! wonderful, magical, just as it should be.
Rated 23 Sep 2011
allysonajAllysonAJ
Rated 19 Nov 2012
95
95th
Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Imaginative and wildly inspiring. It tells a story like all good films should and it packs a punch along the way.
Rated 19 Nov 2012
alex_wsAlex WS
Rated 19 Jan 2013
67
54th
Segmented tale about this dude. At the end he dies. Emotional impact is okay.
Rated 19 Jan 2013
taleaTalea
Rated 14 Aug 2007
68
32nd
Burton substituted mawkish sentimentality for his usual charm, here, which is a shame, because it could've been exquisite.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
vince_leoVince Leo
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
86th
A well-made, quirky film that viewers who are "hooked in" to the story will definitely appreciate.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
cowfrappecowfrappe
Rated 01 Aug 2010
67
50th
A beautiful film, though it is light and somewhat pointless; a stellar cast without much direction.
Rated 01 Aug 2010
chengmingchengming
Rated 06 May 2020
70
62nd
I first watched this movie in my formative years. It's message of not letting reality get in the way of a good story impressed me deeply, and I still think back to it frequently. Given that powerful message, it's a bit sad to see how often this dips into clichés (not least in the generic road movie soundtrack).
Rated 06 May 2020
cornicaCornica
Rated 02 Jul 2009
87
84th
A beautiful visual feast that actually has a pretty good and touching story behind it. Which is rare for a Burton film.
Rated 02 Jul 2009
softskeletonsoftskeleton
Rated 05 Jul 2010
78
50th
I really enjoyed this film. The visuals are sumptuous and the story warmed the cockles of my heart. Thoroughly charming
Rated 05 Jul 2010
tomaddetomadde
Rated 28 Aug 2012
100
96th
Amazing and heartwarming fairy tale with an excellent cast. Burton's master piece and dedicated to his father who passed away while making the movie.
Rated 28 Aug 2012
philipPhilip
Rated 27 Jan 2009
82
90th
I must be getting old and sentimental, but I almost cried a few times.
Rated 27 Jan 2009
pigletPiglet
Rated 22 Jul 2009
75
79th
A great journey, if maybe a tad too long.
Rated 22 Jul 2009
harmonicaHarmonica
Rated 15 May 2012
68
32nd
Flashy production values and the cast turn in decent performances, but lacks emotional clout and relevance when compared with the better dramas that cinema has to offer. Also a little too heavy on the schmaltz and sentimentalism, but that's largely par for course with Burton.
Rated 15 May 2012
silmarwenSilmarwen
Rated 29 Jun 2008
10
21st
average
Rated 29 Jun 2008

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