Starring: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Marion Cotillard
Directed by: Tim Burton
Running time: 2 hr 5 mins
“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.”Just as what is said at the end of this wonderful film, it’s about a man from the myth and his colorful life.Edward Bloom,a former traveling salesman who has a gift for storytelling,now is confined to his deathbed.William–Bloom’s estranged son, doesn’t believe his dying father’s eventful life as a young adult. So he decides to verify these tall tales.Led by Edward’s discovery,a series of fairy tale vignettes of Edward are displayed one by one:watching a witch’s glass eye in order to know how he dies, entering the hidden town of Spectre where everyone is walking around barefoot,meeting the giant, falling in love at first sight with the love of his life at the circus,catching an enormous uncatchable fish by utilizing his wedding ring as bait,even robbing a bank.And his son understands his love of storytelling in the end.
The whole story consists of lots of fake but “true” exciting events.And Tim Burton does well in connecting different parts of Edward’s life experiences utilizing some appropriate things which make the entire story go smoothly, such as doors,shadow over the wall,etc.But to me,the most attractive thing is the story itself and what the director wants to convey in the film. Edward knows how he is going to die so that he is never afraid of adventures. Just because of this,he is able to make his life more colorful and wonderful.Now that life is full of exciting miracles,why not throw death away and explore its charms without worry? Do not wait,or you’ll be regretful when you are listening for the wings of Azrael. Besides,the “lies” told by Edward Bloom are filled with imagination and Gothic fantasy. They may make no sense,but they are beautiful, passionate, and romantic as well.They are interesting enough to make people engage in them totally,laughing and crying.
There are two versions about how the story ends. One goes like this:Edward escapes from the hospital with the help of his son, and they go to the river where everyone in Edward’s life appears to bid him goodbye. William carries his father into the river where he becomes a very big fish.Fish begins,fish ends.Another version is ordinary but great.Edward dies in the hospital. At his funeral, all of his friends arrive and talk about him as if he has never died.He lives still in people’s indelible memories.As far as I am concerned,both endings are good and true to some extent.In fact it’s a matter of how you choose.
I recommend this romantic,profound film which is full of imagination to all of you solemnly.