Big Fish (PG-13, 2003)

common sense media says

Delightful, sad father-son story for teens and up.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has brief nudity, mild language, and fantasy peril. Sensitive kids may be upset by the death of a parent.

Positive role models: Strong African-American and female characters.
Violence: Fantasy peril, death of a character.
Sex: Brief nudity.
Language: Mild language.
Consumerism: Not applicable.

More on Big Fish

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about some of their favorite stories -- factual and fictional. Who tells the best tall tales in the family?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Will (Billy Crudup) believes that his father Edward (Albert Finney) has used his embellished tales to hide his true self. After he steals the show at Will's wedding with a story about trying to capture a legendary big fish, Will cuts off communications with his dad, maintaining contact only through his mother (Jessica Lange). Will and his wife move far away, and Will becomes a fact-based journalist. When he learns that his father is dying, he comes home to try one more time to know what is true, to feel that he really knows his father. Once again, Edward tells a story from his past. We see young Edward (Ewan McGregor) leaving home in search of adventure. He finds a giant, a witch, a werewolf, a town where no one wears shoes, a highly unusual singing sister act, and the love of his life, Sandra (Alison Lohman), who is engaged to someone else.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Big Fish is the enchanting story of a father and son, but it's really the story of stories themselves. It's about all kinds of stories, from the first stories whispered by a father to a sleepy child to the stories a son tells his father to comfort him as he nears death. Facts are fine, but some truths can only be told by fiction, and this movie tells a captivating tale that is a delight for the eye, the heart, and the spirit.

Director Tim Burton, like Edward, believes that it's the fantastic that deserves our attention more than the mundane. The ravishing images are marvels, but it's the heart of the stories that captivate, especially when it all comes together at the end in a moving conclusion filled with connection, understanding, and forgiveness.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Columbia Tristar
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Albert Finney, Ewan McGregor, Jessica Lange
Genre: Fantasy
Run time: 125 minutes
Theatrical release: December 10, 2003
DVD release: April 27, 2004
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: a fight scene, some images of nudity and a suggestive reference

This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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What parents & educators say

11

Most useful reviews by all members

HenryRedJeanz
teen, 14 years old
 
This movie is INCREDIBLE! Tim Burton is at his best, it is just soo good! It's imaginative, dark, beautiful and touching all at the same time, a tale of love, death, fantasy, and everything else! It's great, but there is some brief backside nudity on a female, some mild swearing (nothing to worry about) and some violence which could be scary to littlies. An imaginative yet mature fantasy film with a great cast including Ewan McGregor and Marion Cotillard, I LOVE THIS MOVIE, and many other people with a similar interest in films should too!

MissAnnieBananie
teen, 13 years old
 
:)
One of m favorite movies... Great Movie...

Clear Air ...
parent of and 5 , 6 , 9 year old
 

 
Incredible!
Tim Burton is a genius. His imagination is never-ending. I enjoyed this movie so much. There is some sexual references and brief nudity but nothing too explicit. Some language but it didn't make the movie less enjoyable. I recommend this movie to anyone.

jujubee33
parent of 16 and 16 year old
 
Metaphorically Speaking...
This movie is probably the nest explanation of a metaphor a kid could ever get. Edward's whole life, he has told his true stories through slightly exaggerated metaphors. I think it sends a great message of the power of love between a man and woman, and of the importance of trust between father and son. It is a great movie to see with your children, and you will have a lot to talk about afterwards.

the girl with ...
teen, 17 years old
 
Can i give it more than five stars?
I loved this movie. It was amazing, thought provoking. Tim Burton is my favorite director, and this is my favorite by him. I loved this movie, and the last scene is beautiful. I don't want to give anything away, but i will say that thi movie was truely amazing!

 
Great movie. Nothing risque about it. Enjoy.

 
I like make-you-think movies
If you enjoy movies like "What Dreams May Come" you'll like this flick. Artsy and a little esoteric, and charged with 'deeper meaning.' I loved it. I especially enjoyed the relationship between the husband and wife--some people do stay in love and faithful forever.I wouldn't take kids to see it--mostly because I don't think they would be too interested. Even teenagers might not have patience with it if they aren't into mythic or allegorical stuff. The movie explores everything from family relationships, to oral tradition, to reaching for your dreams, to forgiveness and tolerance. Don't waste time trying to 'figure it out'--just allow yourself to enjoy it the first time around--then see it a second time to get it all the details straight. With the exception of Danny Devitos bare bottom--there is very little offensive material in this, which is refreshing. 2 Thumbs up!

lalaXD
kid, 13 years old
 
AWSOME MOVIE!! BRAVO!
3 days ago my mom rented me this movie and she said i would like it so we watched it and it was amazing! Its great for tweens and teens!

danielauo
teen, 17 years old
 
the best movie for starters, kids, teens, and adults
I dont remember the movie having something linked to sex. Im 15 and I saw it like 3 years ago and I looved it because it was super entertaining and it didnt have bad messages. Ive seen it around 4 times and I dont get bored. It makes you think about life and you dont even notice it. I fully recommend it

 
brief nudity
I love this movie, I love the stories they tell in the movie. I think its a great movie for everyone to go see, kids under 7 might not be interested in it, some cuss words and brief nudity(dont look). My relative is in this movie, shes the little he meets girl when he goes through the forest, she throws his shoes when he leaves.

kitkat12356
kid, 11 years old
 
My Big Fish Review
A moving story. But I found that it can be a bit confusing in some bits of it. I would recommend it to anyone between 10 and 10000!

Miistukk19
teen, 17 years old
 
awesome... :)
I LOVE this movie!! tim burton is a genius! I don't like fantasy movies,but I love this one... it's awesome... fantastic...amazinG!

Semi Intelligence.
teen, 13 years old
 
Good movie

 
Tim Burton almost normal
This is a charming movie, a bit disorienting and unfocused, but Ewan McGregor is fantastic and the character interactions greatly appealing. This movie lacks the edge that many of Burton's other movies contain, but this doesn't by any means take away from the story. The plot is pretty difficult to explain, but it's a great movie for teens and adults. I don't think younger children would really understand it, although they might simply enjoy the many stories told. This movie is touching and funny.

Poison Ivey
teen, 17 years old
 
oh god, the end made me cry...
***contains spoilers*** I read the book and the movie was even better! I liked Big Fish because it's one of those stories where you make up the ending. you could say that Will finally understood his father's love of storytelling, and thats who he was, or you could say the ending was a made up story and Edward's stoires were all lies. I just loved it! There is nudity, but you couldn't possibly be offended by it, none of it being sexual in any manner. and there are some kids who cuss, which I was suprised by but hey life happens. i think this movie is even more memorable than Forrest Gump. Full of inspirational quotes. I highly recomend it for elven and up!

Caesar_12219
teen, 18 years old
 
This is by far one of the most moving and beautiful movies that I have seen in my life. It tells, to put it briefly, the tale of a son coming to terms with his dad, and how sometimes the legend is more important than the straight facts. The most moving scene comes at the end, when the son goes to his father's funeral, and finds that, after all, the tales that are recounted throughout the movie are true. There are the twins, though not Siamese, the giant, though perhaps not quite so tall as he imagined, and all of the other characters, major or minor, "real" or imagined. This is movie-making at its finest.

Parker H.
teen, 16 years old
 
Incredible
Incredible and creative this movie is awesome. You do briefly twice see a woman's bare bottom.

bubbo
adult
 
An Imaginative and Fun Fairy Tale
I love Tim Burton, and Big Fish may just be my favorite movie of his. It's a great mix of fantasy and humor with a heart. As far as content goes, well, it shows Danny DeVito's butt. That was fairly disturbing. Besides that there's not much objectionable content.

BestPicture1996
teen, 16 years old
 
Easily one of Burton's best
Among his directed, non-Depp colloborations, like "Beetlejuice" and "Batman," Burton gives us another weird but really visually amazing story about a man who's led so many tall-tales he's gotten lost in them. Great for Burton fans, but also great for fans of cinema, who just like being entertained with a great script.

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