After being seriously disappointed by, well, every Burton movie since Sleepy Hollow, I had some serious expectations for Big Eyes. There was just so much potential, with the convoluted relationship between art and success and an a personal connection with the subject (Burton is a collector of Keane's art). I had no idea what to expect before watching this film. Amy Adams delivers her best performance as always. At times she was vulnerable and desperate, at times she was empowered and at other stages of her life you got to see a deep sense of compromised pride rivaled by her desire to maintain her family unit. I was glued to the screen by the fascinating story and the fantastic cast, as well as Burton's artistic influence.
Freshly colored with an array of set pieces, this is one of Burton's most aesthetically pleasing films of his career. Danny Elfman's score is the signature touch that we await in all of Burton's works. It's subtle yet apparent in nearly all the right ways. Same goes for the stunning costume work by Colleen Atwood, a strong contender for another Academy Award nomination.
What really makes this movie come to life though is the acting. Adams in particular is the stalwart heroine we love to see. Noble, hardworking, and perseverant, this woman has all the qualities one would want when it comes to facing hard times. Yet, she isn't a Marvel superhero, she has flaws that lead to her suffering, paralyzed from taking action due to fear of repercussions. I felt bad for the girl, hoping she would find the guts to send her con artist of a husband packing, or at least give him a good punch. Despite how strong she was though, Amy's performance is only half the equation of this tale. The iconic Christoph Waltz plays his villainous side once more to perfection, bringing greed, selfishness, and lying to the table. Christoph sold me into his character's skills, working the community for everything it was worth.
If you enjoy period piece movies about events in the 1960's, if you enjoy good character movies, and if you would enjoy seeing the power of a narcissist in all his/her glory, you would enjoy seeing this movie. But I'm not a big fan of this movie. This movie is good, and different from Burton's works lately. The script is not sharp. It seems happy with shallow sentiment and generalizations. The emotions are limited. It feels like it isn't sure if it wants to be a drama or a comedy, but it fails at both--it is neither compelling drama or sharp satire.
7.1/10-IMDb
70%-Rotten Tomatoes
62%-Metacritic
7/10-My verdict
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