Rating of
3/4
A Touching, Imaginative Film
Franz Patrick - wrote on 05/12/08
I've mentioned many times before that I love films that are about the power of imagination. This is one of those pictures but it does not completely lose track of reality. Instead of using imagination as its main weapon, it becomes the backdrop. What is at the forefront is family relationships, especially between a father who loves to tell stories to whoever he meets and a son that fails to extract the facts from fiction. Eward McGregor has a certain freshness and vitality that one cannot ignore. Every scene he's in, he seems to have that smirk that symbolizes a thinking man. Due to his charm, I was able to follow the story with ease and interest. Albert Finney is heartbreaking as the father that has stories for any occassion. He's the heart of the story because he is able to provide warmth, humour, and sadness all at the same time, in more than a handful of scenes. Billy Crudup plays the son who yearns for the truth and he plays the character with such realism. He shines during the scenes where he would interact with his father because they seem like two complete opposites on the surface. Tim Burton presents us once again with fascinating and enriching people and places. Although that is expected, despite the bright colours and visual effects, the message is always highlighted. This film got pretty much everything right. Although some may argue that it did not tie everything up together, I think it is more than okay because not every story is a tightly written literature.
