SHOP BIG FISH
IMDb >
Big Fish (2003)
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsnews articlesPromotional
taglinestrailers and videospostersphoto galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsBig Fish (2003)
| Photos (see all 71 | slideshow) | Videos |
Overview
Tagline:
An adventure as big as life itself.Plot:
A story about a son trying to learn more about his dying father by reliving stories and myths his father told him about himself. full summary | full synopsis (warning! may contain spoilers)Plot Keywords:
Animal In Title | Science Fair | Romantic Rivalry | Nude Swimming | Head In Lion's Mouth moreAwards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 32 nominations moreUser Comments:
Tim Burton's Surprise Heartwarmer moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Ewan McGregor | ... | Ed Bloom - Younger | |
| Albert Finney | ... | Ed Bloom - Older | |
| Billy Crudup | ... | Will Bloom | |
| Jessica Lange | ... | Sandra Bloom - Older | |
| Helena Bonham Carter | ... | Jenny - Younger & Older / The Witch | |
| Alison Lohman | ... | Sandra Bloom - Younger | |
| Robert Guillaume | ... | Dr. Bennett - Older | |
| Marion Cotillard | ... | Josephine | |
| Matthew McGrory | ... | Karl the Giant | |
| David Denman | ... | Don Price - Age 18-22 | |
| Missi Pyle | ... | Mildred | |
| Loudon Wainwright III | ... | Beamen (as Loudon Wainwright) | |
| Ada Tai | ... | Ping | |
| Arlene Tai | ... | Jing | |
| Steve Buscemi | ... | Norther Winslow |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for a fight scene, some images of nudity and a suggestive reference.Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
125 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreCertification:
Spain:T | Brazil:Livre | Netherlands:MG6 | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Malaysia:U | Philippines:PG-13 | Germany:6 (f) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Hong Kong:IIA | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Norway:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | Iceland:LMOVIEmeter: 
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
In the middle of the lettered board in the bank that Norther Winslow robs reads "ROMANS 12:1-2." This refers to the passages in the Bible that says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." moreGoofs:
Continuity: When Sandra is standing over Ed in the bathtub, before she jumps in and joins him, her dress is already soaking wet. moreQuotes:
Ed Bloom (Age 10): I was thinking about death and all. About seeing how you're gonna die. I mean, on one hand, if dying was all you thought about, it could kind of screw you up. But it could kind of help you, couldn't it? Because you'd know that everything else you can survive. moreSoundtrack:
Entry of the Gladiators moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more
Message Boards
Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for Big Fish (2003) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
| The Notebook | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Cidade de Deus | Intrus, L' | Click |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb top 250 movies | IMDb Drama section |
| IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |


















I approach Tim Burton films with a certain trepidation. Will it be "Edward Scissorhands" or "Batman II?" With Burton you could get a quirky comedy, a dark thriller, or sweet morality tale. And there's always the possibility of Danny DeVito chomping down on a raw fish.
"Big Fish" combines Burton's unusual humor with a heart-wrenching story of a father-son deathbed reconciliation. Albert Finney and Ewan McGregor share the role of Ed Bloom, one of the big fish from the movie's title while an SUV-sized catfish plays the other. Bloom is a metaphorical and literal big fish in the small pond of Ashton, Alabama in this tale told mostly through flashback. Jessica Lange plays his wife and Billy Crudup plays the son, Will, estranged from his father for the past three years. Father and son are reunited as Finney lies dying of cancer.
Ed Bloom has spent his life spinning his personal history into mythological proportions: an early encounter with a very tall man becomes a battle with a house-sized giant; a rural village is depicted as heaven on earth; military service during the Korean War morphs into a behind-the-lines mission that would make Duke Nukem proud. Originally a true believer, Will now knows everything his father has told him was not just an exageration or even a tall tale but an outright lie. In his effort to understand the truth behind his father's stories he learns to love the man as well as the mythology. And Burton delivers a terrific punchline at the end of the film that left me both tickled and weeping, a truly weird emotional state.
Burton deals with mythic themes in "Big Fish." Besides the surface story of the generational tension between father and son he explores the metaphor of the big-fish-in-a-small-pond by examining the impact Ed Bloom has had on the lives he's touched in his workaday contacts with colleagues, customers (he's a traveling salesman), and people in the small towns across the South. Not exactly "It's A Wonderful Life," he still manages to show how all of us -- even the little fish -- have profound effects on the people around us. And of course love -- unrequited and reciprocated -- control almost all of Ed's many adventures.
The acting is wonderful. You will actually believe two Brits and a Scot (Finney, Helena Bonham Carter, and McGregor) are natives of small town Alabama. Lange brings dignity and brio to the role of the long "suffering" wife -- and she still looks great(!)-- you believe she has had a long and loving life with Finney/McGregor. DeVito is a delight in the role of a circus ringmaster. But the scene-stealer is Bonham Carter in the dual role of Jenny and the crone witch.
I rated this movie ten stars and when you see it you'll do the same.