Overview
A son confronts the fantastical tales of his dying father, seeking truth and understanding before it's too late.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- whimsical
- wistful
- heartfelt
- rainy day
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's charm, Tim Burton's whimsical direction, performances, and touching father-son drama, while finding its reconciliation storyline somewhat familiar.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Edward Bloom's extraordinary life stories dominate the father-son conflict and gradually acquire emotional meaning beyond factual accuracy.
Ashton, Alabama, the witch, circus, giant fish, and strange townspeople give the family drama a distinctly Southern Gothic fairy-tale texture.
Will returns to his dying father's Alabama home determined to understand the real Edward behind a lifetime of fantastical tales.
Edward's memories unfold through heightened images of witches, circuses, romance, unusual communities, and impossible adventures.
Films like Big Fish, and why
Forrest Gump
shared retrospective father-son drama, whimsical storytelling, and bittersweet reflection on memory and family
The Princess Bride
shared fairy-tale fantasy, witty adventure, tall tales, and warm emotional resolution
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
shared eccentric fantasy imagery, Southern Gothic atmosphere, and emotionally restorative family themes
The Fall
shared imaginative visual storytelling, melancholic family reconciliation, and magical realism
Movie Details
- Director
- Tim Burton
- Release Date
- 2003-12-10
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (7962)
Cast
- Ewan McGregor
- Albert Finney
- Billy Crudup
- Jessica Lange
- Helena Bonham Carter
- Alison Lohman
- Robert Guillaume
- Marion Cotillard
- Matthew McGrory
- David Denman
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Big Fish about?
- A son confronting his dying father's impossible stories discovers that family truth may reside in the myths people create about their lives.
- What is Big Fish like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Big Fish as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Big Fish violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Big Fish as mild.
- What did critics think of Big Fish?
- Critics broadly praised the film's charm, Tim Burton's whimsical direction, performances, and touching father-son drama, while finding its reconciliation storyline somewhat familiar.
- Which films are like Big Fish?
- Films with a similar feel include Forrest Gump, The Princess Bride, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and The Fall.
- How long is Big Fish?
- Big Fish runs 125 minutes.
- Where can I watch Big Fish?
- In United States, Big Fish streams on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel.
