Big Fish - Story-teller's story

Big Fish [ க‌தை சொல்லியின் க‌தை ! ]

In any friends’ gang, we might have come across one interesting and convincing story teller. They cannot tell anything straight but with vivid explanations. It might have been a simple accident - but the way they explain is like some spectacular miracle has happened. The important thing about this type of character is their tolerance to insult.

I remember one of my aunts used to tell the story of Thooku thooki, Thangap padumai with e every dialogue and song in the afternoons of the summer vacations. She memorized by hearing the same in LP records. My schoolmate was a master story teller - he used to take me in his hero majestic bike to a remote place and explain the films he saw. The first film he explained was 'Chanakya' Kamal's mallu movie - he freely takes almost the time of the movie except songs n fights. He narrated me the furious story of those times 'Shiva' ad the most sweet love story 'Geethanjali'. In fact, he is my first contact for films - he was the one who started giving film lists for me. [ என்ன்ன்னா ப‌ட‌ம்டா .. பெஜாராயிட்ட‌ன்மா :) ]

Nobody can forget the brilliant story telling of Oho productions Chellappa to his father. Chithralaya gopu was inspired by the way Dada mirasi narrates the story with less dialogues and more expressions [ he is a film maker from Marathi; Director of Pudhiya paravai ]. One of my old time friends used to narrate the story with utmost profanity [ 'ச‌ங்கிலி முருக‌ன்' குடும்ப‌ம் டோட்ட‌ல் டேமேஜ் :) ]- otherwise, he can't take the story forward. I still can believe whatever Sujatha writes and whatever Nellai Kannan speaks [ த‌மிழ‌ருவின்னு இவ‌ரை சொல்லி இருக்க‌லாம் !! ]. One such story teller is our 'BIG FISH' [ foreword is lengthier than the review :) ]

Trivia : Once AVM Saravanan told in an interview that the only director impressed him in story telling was KBhagyaraj - He narrated Mundhanai mudichu in Palmgrove hotel in 2+ hrs without a single reference or a paper. He explained the story with all dialogues [ including placement of songs ] with an interval too [ KBhagyaraj took a puff in the break :) ].

Plot :

The story is based on the book with the same name 'Big Fish', written by Daniel Wallace. It was a novel of myths and fantasy illustrations. The film starts from the frustration of William Bloom, a young man who couldn’t understand his father because of his story telling abilities. As a kid, he was convinced by his tales and as a grown-up, he couldn't. Nevertheless, his dying father Edward Bloom talks to everyone with always a story inside.

Narrated in flashbacks and present, William used to recollect his father's fables. The stories about his brought-up in Ashton, involvement with a giant, circus company, meeting his lover and then turned wife. Thus with these unbelievable stories, William decides to disconnect from his father and stays away from his father. However, Will's wife Josephine is attracted to the tales of her father-in-law. Time rebinds Will back to his father who becomes seriously ill. The final part of the puzzle is left and Will decides to join the puzzle game. What happens then is the end.

View :

The movie is combination of drama and fantasy. The story is just filled with unbelievable people, places and happenings. The main character Edward Bloom resembles a few other characters from other films, Forrest Gump, Guido from life is beautiful. The story flows to and forth with change over in the narration with either senior or junior Edward.

As in any fairy tale, this story introduces so many unusual characters like giant, twins, werewolf, mermaid, dream village and of course 'Big fish'. The interesting part is the sub-plots that comes in different stages of his narration. I liked the status of a poet changing into something else in Texas. The way the old doctor explaining about his father to William in his understanding - though everybody knows about the stories they just accept it. Can we go back to our grand mothers or aunts and say whatever you said was not true !

The best part is the senior's love story ending in a marriage. But the happenings in between goes just like a fairy tale. The characters are so interesting to a giant, circus owner, Korean twins, and a poet. They even touch the Texas real estate and Wall Street humorously on the flow.

The way the film ends was fabulous. A perfect climax of the story teller. The BGM needs a special mention in this movie and was so soothing. Especially during the climax, the BGM enhances the movie watching experience. This is one of the kind where you just believe what happens in the story and don't ask for logic [ like Mr Magorium's wonder emporium ].

Remember the S.Ramakrishnan's title 'Eppodhumirukum Kadhai' ?! - That's story of Big Fish.

-Toto.