'Fish' great catch

Reel Reflections

Engaging, whimsical and optimistic, Tim Burton's ("Planet of the Apes") latest film, "Big Fish," stands out as a great catch among the season's many mediocre films as a result of its uniqueness — comparable to that of "The Wizard of Oz."

Albert Finney ("Erin Brockovich") stars as Edward Bloom, an old man who recounts his life through a series of outrageous tall tales. His son, Will, played by Billy Crudup ("World Traveler"), has heard these stories his whole life and no longer is enchanted by them. Angry with his father for never telling the truth, Will picks a fight with Edward and the two do not speak to each other for years. When Edward becomes gravely ill, Will comes to see him, hoping to find the truth behind all the stories and learn who his dad really is.

Much of the film is spent in bringing to life Edward's tall tales, including one about — you guessed it — a big fish. Young Edward (Ewan McGregor, "Down With Love") is a big fish that finds the pond of Asheville, N.C., too small for his liking. He goes off in search of his destiny, and has a series of adventures along the way that involve a giant, a fortune-telling witch, a werewolf, singing Siamese twins and a huge, evasive catfish.

The film has Burton's trademark quirkiness and beautiful visual style, but is uncharacteristically full of optimism, unlike Burton's dark comedies, such as "Edward Scissorhands" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." The film is at its best when in the imagination of Edward, retelling his life with stunning visual effects and cinematography, which provided an almost magical feel to the picture.

"Big Fish"'s vibrant characters and its actors' excellent performances save the film from becoming a full-fledged fairy tale. The talented cast give convincing performances that lend the movie depth. Jessica Lange's ("Masked and Anonymous") portrayal of Sandra, Edward's wife, gives the film some of its most poignant scenes, and McGregor is charming as the young Edward.

The casting also is dead-on, as McGregor and Alison Lohman ("Matchstick Men"), who plays young Sandra, actually resemble their older counter parts, Finney and Lange, in physical appearance.

"Big Fish," which is adapted from the 1998 book of the same title by Daniel Wallace, has a unique plot that distinguishes it from most current films. The film's bittersweet ending also attempts to reveal a deeper message about stories. As the father and son reconcile over time, Will learns the importance of stories — how they can give our lives meaning, and how they are for the tellers as much as they are for the listener.

The film's one flaw is its pacing. So much of the movie is spent visualizing the stories of Edward's past that the present action moves very slowly, similar to the flashbacks in "Fried Green Tomatoes." The climax, therefore, is somewhat drawn out, and there is a sense that some scenes in the past could have been left out.

But, this is a small problem in what is, overall, an excellent movie. Cast your line for "Big Fish," and you'll be sure to catch a great film.