Big Fish

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Big Fish

PG-13

2004

2h 5m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

219 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

When Edward Bloom (Albert Finney) becomes ill, his son, William (Billy Crudup), travels to be with him. William has a strained relationship with Edward because his father has always told exaggerated stories about his life, and William thinks he's never really told the truth. Even on his deathbed, Edward recounts fantastical anecdotes. When William, who is a journalist, starts to investigate his father's tales, he begins to understand the man and his penchant for storytelling.

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Critics Consensus

A charming father-and-son tale filled with typical Tim Burton flourishes, Big Fish is an impressive catch.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Mar 12, 2018

When it catches fire, this great-looking movie offers hilarious diversions. And as father and son struggle toward a hard-won reconciliation, Big Fish reveals its beating heart.

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Will Self

London Evening Standard

Jan 9, 2018

Big Fish really belongs to Albert Finney, who proves that when it comes to large performances there is no one who can quite match a British Shakespearean with good camera sense.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 22, 2010

4/5

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

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Julian Singleton

Cinapse

Jul 12, 2025

With its unabashed love of Wilderian small-town Americana — and the signature Burton macabre elements lurking beneath it — Big Fish ranks among the best of Tim Burton’s filmography.

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Paul Klein

FILMHOUNDS Magazine

Jul 4, 2024

4/5

That melancholy mutes much of it so as the film goes to an idyllic town, a bank robbery, dances, and a circus, it never actually turns into something like Batman Returns or Beetlejuice

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Christopher Lloyd

The Film Yap

Sep 20, 2021

4.5/5

Tim Burton's lone outstanding, heartfelt film of the last two decades may not seem like a natural fit with his horror-tinged oeuvre. But in some ways it's his most intimate, personal movie.

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Robert P

@Superbad 6 days ago

What a wonderful movie this is, an old dying man recounts his adventures as a younger man!

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Mackenzie A

@Mackenz Aug 10, 2026

Big Fish is a beautiful film about the stories we tell, the people we love, and the complicated ways we try to understand our parents. It’s clever, whimsical, funny, and deeply emotional without ever losing its sense of wonder. What makes the writing so special is the way it blurs the line between fact and fantasy. At first, the larger-than-life stories seem almost too unbelievable, but as the film unfolds, you begin to realize that perhaps the truth isn’t always about what literally happened. Sometimes the stories we tell become their own kind of truth. The performances are wonderful, and the dialogue carries so much warmth and meaning. Beneath all the fantastical adventures is a very human story about a son trying to understand his father before it’s too late. By the end, Big Fish becomes much more than a fantasy. It’s a poignant reminder that the people we love often live on through the stories we choose to remember. A genuinely magical and heartfelt film.

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Emerson F

@emersonfs1980 Jul 17, 2026

A visual and narrative masterpiece that challenges how we view reality and legacy. The film perfectly balances Tim Burton's whimsical fantasy with deep family drama, though the pacing shifts a bit abruptly between the fabulous tales and the harsh reality of the present-day hospital. The feeling left watching it at home is a profound reflection on life and the stories we leave behind, with an ending so moving it brought tears to my eyes; it leaves a lingering ache in the chest and a strong wish to have experienced the magic of its spectacular visuals on the big theater screen.

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Alfredo S.

@alsuarez Jun 14, 2026

Ver esta película en familia es todo lo que está bien en este mundo. Gracias Yuls por enseñárnosla.

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Kristofer K

@kbkaizer May 15, 2026

Tim Burtion at one of his greatest; a beautiful fairytale in live action only Burton could achieve.

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Matias A

@MatiasA113 May 3, 2026

UNA OBRA MAESTRA, es una película llena de sentimientos, emoción y muchas cosas más, es increíble

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Tim Burton

Director

Ewan McGregor

Young Edward Bloom

Albert Finney

Edward Bloom

Billy Crudup

Will Bloom

Jessica Lange

Sandra Bloom

Helena Bonham Carter

Jenny

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Synopsis

When Edward Bloom (Albert Finney) becomes ill, his son, William (Billy Crudup), travels to be with him. William has a strained relationship with Edward because his father has always told exaggerated stories about his life, and William thinks he's never really told the truth. Even on his deathbed, Edward recounts fantastical anecdotes. When William, who is a journalist, starts to investigate his father's tales, he begins to understand the man and his penchant for storytelling.

Director: Tim Burton
Producer: Richard D. Zanuck, Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks
Screenwriter: John August
Distributor: Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Zanuck Company, Columbia Pictures Corporation, Jinks/Cohen Company
Rating: PG-13 (Some Nudity|Fight|Suggestive Reference)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 9, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $66.3M
Runtime: 2h 5m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo

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