Four words say it all: imaginative, hilarious, poignant, clever. All in that order.

Big Fish is the most imaginative movie I have seen this year, and one of the funniest ones.

Edward Bloom is known for his tall tales. He seems to have lived this wonderful fairytale life one step from reality. This is shown to us through the various episodes in his life that he recounts to anyone willing to listen. Everybody likes this charmer, some in spite of his tales, some for his tales.

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Everyone except his son, that is.

The son believes his father has not told him even one truth about his entire life and hence he doesn't know him at all. When Edward gets really sick, his son rushes to his side and makes a final effort to finally understand his father's life.

Don't be fooled by the seemingly serious description. The movie is hilarious.

The tales about young Edward (Ewan McGregor) are funny and colourful. And the present, with the dying Edward (Albert Finney) and his son, is poignant and touching.

Young Edward's experiences are not unlike Alice's in Wonderland.

In his journey out of the small town he was born in and believes he is too big for, Edward encounters a host of characters: a witch whose solitary blind eye shows your own future death; a tall giant; a circus ringmaster who is a werewolf (Danny DeVito); a mermaid; Siamese twins (joined at the hip); and the love of his life who becomes his wife (Jessica Lange).

Back in the present, the last few scenes as Edward's son (Billy Crudup) senses a deeper truth in all his father's 'lies' rank as one of the most touching sequences. This movie is bittersweet.

The production design is wonderful. The fantasy world of Edward's past is a visual treat with a picture-perfect small town, a fairytale forest and a fantastic circus.

The performances of McGregor and Finney are stellar. There is a remarkable physical likeness between the young and old Edward, played by McGregor and Finney respectively. Even more remarkable is the likeness between young and old Sandra (Edward's wife) played by Alison Lohman and Jessica Lange.

Above all, what makes this movie special is the parallels one can draw from the fantasy world of Edward with his real world -- or to anybody's real world for that matter -- and the real meaning behind the colourful incidents.

Everything in the movie goes deeper than it seems. This lends an extra layer to the movie.

Director Tim Burton (Batman, Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow) has always had a flair for quirky, almost eccentric, stories and visuals. This script is a perfect fit for him.

This film is a masterpiece and, probably, his most mature work.

By the very nature of the movie, which is a little too offbeat for mainstream audiences, it may not be a huge box-office success, but will definitely be loved by most who watch it.

CREDITS
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman
Director: Tim Burton
Screenplay: John August, based on the novel Big Fish, by Daniel Wallace
Cinematographer: Philippe Rousselot
Producer: Bruce Cohen