Point of View

Big Fish – Movie Review

This Fish Flounders Without The Hook
By Fred H. Arm
When I heard that director Tim Burton (Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Planet of the Apes, Sleepy Hollow) directed this tale, I assumed that an extraordinary saga would unfold on the screen as something unnatural and weird, yet entertaining. Weird it was, yet it often failed to convey a story. Rather it made some attempts at reconciling Edward Bloom’s (Albert Finney as the dying old Bloom and Ewan McGregor as young Bloom) tall yarns he would tell repeatedly to anyone who would listen and especially to his son Will Bloom (Billy Crudup). Will soon learned to disbelieve all of his father’s fantastic stories and ultimately became totally estranged from his father, whether as a result of shame or the lack of intimacy and connection with his father. His mother, the ever-smiling Sandy Bloom (Jessica Lange), lends little of her stellar talents to this wooden role.

The fables as they unfold are truly implausible and often border on the ridiculous. Clearly, one is left with the same mindset as the son Will, that Edward is a huge bullshitter who may have trouble separating fact from fantasy. The story or stories are told in confusing flashbacks, sometimes in a true Tim Burton fantasy and sometimes in what appears to be a vaudeville style. The characters are indeed colorful and weird such as the ringmaster of the Circus Amos (Danny DeVito) and the Colossus (George McArthur). It borrows heavily in fantasy style from other recent fantasies like the Truman Show, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings, yet does not come close to telling a story with clarity and style.

The film jumps from clarity to confusion and back to rationality and clarity. We are touched that the son ultimately appears at his dying father’s bedside and attempts to find out who his father really is. There are many seeing the picture who will be quite taken by its symbolism, fantasy, and fatherly machinations. For myself, this film could have been written in a much more coherent manner and revealing much, much more of the possible intimacy that can exist between father and son. The comedic routines are quite funny and Burton seems to have the timing down quite well. However, its humorous sequences are not enough to carry the film or to carry the story from scene-to-scene.

The ending is predictable early in the film and clichéd at best. Helena Bonham Carter’s talents are wasted as Jenny, the child becoming adult who had her eyes on Edward since he was a young man. She also plays a more interesting role as a witch in this flick, but it also falls flat and gets placed on the shelf with the rest of the cast that have not been adequately developed. This is a picture that you will either love or simple discard as too much weirdness and lacking coherence. Obviously, you know where I stand.

Opens everywhere December 25th in the Bay Area.

Something’s Gotta Give - Movie Review

A Funny, Poignant Tale For All
By Fred H. Arm

Academy Award® winners Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton and Frances McDormand star with Keanu Reeves and Amanda Peet in a sophisticated romantic comedy from writer/director Nancy Meyers (What Women Want, The Parent Trap).

Picture an aging, 63 year-old Lothario, Harry (Jack Nicholson) with a libido much younger than his years and his sweet young plaything, Marin (Amanda Peet), on a weekend trip to Marin’s parents beach house for a romantic getaway weekend. Just before their weekend begins, Marin’s mom, Erica (Diana Keaton), a successful playwright, and her sister Zoe (Frances McDormand) arrive unexpectedly to spoil their weekend. After polite urgings by Marin’s mother and sister, Harry reluctantly decides to spend the weekend with the entire entourage. During dinner, Harry shares his passion for dating younger women and that he would never date women his own age. Reluctantly, Erica and her sister more or less accept what is happening and begrudgingly accept the amorous goings on around them.

Marin and Harry start kissing in the other room and Harry passes out from a heart attack. Harry is then rushed to the hospital. Dr. Julian ( Keanu Reeves) tells Harry that he has to stay off his feet and cannot go back to his home in the City until he has improved. Julian then suggests that Harry spends a week at Erica’s home until he is well enough to travel back to the City. Harry and Erica express some reservations, however, Erica and Harry soon find out they are really not so different from each other after all, developing a special relationship and bond together. Once she accepts her situation, she opens up an emotional reservoir within her that affects her more deeply than anything has in years. Harry becomes open to appreciating the appeal of women his own age. As they become more at ease with one another, the dialogue between them becomes crisp, fresh, and revealing of their intimate personas.

At about the very same time, Harry’s 36 year-old charming doctor (Keanu Reeves) makes a play for Erica, while Harry attempts to seduce Erica with his own fading charms. Erica, caught in the middle, is amazed at all the attention placed on her. It is unfortunate that the chemistry between Harry and Erica is not quite as believable and intimate as it seems to be between Erica and Julian, the young thirty-some doctor. I can easily overlook this minor flaw and simply chalk it up to Jack Nicholson’s personal lack of ability to deeply connect to a mature woman other than sexually.

“Something’s Gotta Give” is well crafted with humor, poignancy, and drama. The laughs will keep you rolling in the aisles. The script is smart, fresh, and sophisticated. Jack Nicholson proves once again that he is a superb actor and can play most any type of character flawlessly. Praise is also due to Diane Keaton, portraying probably her best role in years as a delightfully sweet overworked play write. Keanu Reeves, Frances McDormand, and Amanda Peet create perfect supporting roles and are each played with exceptional panache and style.

Accolades are also well deserved for writer/director Nancy Meyers for attempting to challenge the system by making Harry’s object of desire a 57 year-old woman. One does not see enough of that sort of thing these days. This is a film that is juicy from its very first bite and maintains its flavor throughout.

The movie may be a bit predictable at times, however the script was brisk, refreshing, and funny while maintaining just the right mix of comedy and drama. Notwithstanding that the ending was somewhat clichéd, the film itself still ended on a very meaningful note.

It opens December 12th at all theaters in the Bay Area.