Tim Burton rewatch! At the time, some people considered 2003’s Big Fish to be a potential Oscar contender, and a move toward more serious films for Burton. But it was back to remakes after this, making Big Fish an outlier among Burton’s work. How does it hold up today?

Here’s what happens: William Bloom got so fed up with his father Edward’s tall tales that the two became estranged for many years. When William gets a call from doctors saying his dad isn’t going to make it, William retells his father’s life through those same outrageous tales. Can fiction and truth be reconciled? Can father and son be reconciled?

Origin story: Daniel Wallace’s debut novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions (1998) had so much hype around it that it was optioned to be a film before it was published. Steven Spielberg allegedly had first dibs on the adaptation, but he handed it off to Burton and made Catch Me If You Can instead.

Outsider theory: In the fantasy story-within-the-story, Ed’s motivation comes from his wanting to escape his tiny hometown and see the world. He views himself as an outsider by being the titular big fish in his town’s small pond. This continues throughout, as he insists on being a larger personality than anyone else in any situation.

Reality breaks through: The movie’s position is that of the real world, frowning on Ed’s fantasy stories. But this is a reverse “reality breaks through” where Wiliam must indulge in the fantasy to connect with his father in the end.

Best bits: Ed: “Most men, they’ll tell you a story straight through. It won’t be complicated, but it won’t be interesting either.”

Thoughts on this viewing: The father-son drama of Big Fish is famously a tearjerker for manly men. I for one rather enjoy the quirky fantasy stories, and the positive, upbeat energy Burton and actor Ewan McGregor bring to them. It was good for Burton to try something a little more grown up, but he’ll be back to kid stuff soon.

Next: Choco-taco.

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