'Big Eyes' Review
Whether you love him or hate him, there's no denying that Tim Burton has an extremely distinct vision. His carnival-like patterns mixed with the gothic influence of 1930s German expressionism has been a topic of discussion for film buffs and critics ever since his start in the mid 80's. Sadly, over the years even true Burton fans have begun to see cracks in the armor. These cracks were most apparent in 2010's 'Alice in Wonderland' and then again in 2012's 'Dark Shadows'. It seems that Burton has made his new film 'Big Eyes' as a way to prove that he's still invested in characters just as much as he is in strange visuals. Burton found himself in a similar position in 1994 after directing the underrated 'Batman Returns', allowing him to direct the spectacular 'Ed Wood'. While 'Big Eyes' is nowhere near as entertaining as 'Ed Wood' (both written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski), one can't help but feel plenty of admiration for Burton's detour into more adult subject matter.
'Big Eyes' is the true story of painter Margaret Keane (Amy Adams) who falls in love with a man named Walter (Christoph Waltz) who promises to take care of this single mother and her daughter. Once Margaret begins showing Walter her personal paintings of little girls with expressive, enlarged eyeballs he begins selling them on the side to make some extra money for the new family. The paintings start to become a hit and the couple find themselves rich beyond their wildest dreams. Only one problem; Walter is taking credit for his wife's paintings. This leads to feuds, lies on top of lies, and an important look at gender roles in mid-twentieth century society.
Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz are a fantastic duo in this film. The arguments, laughs, and intimate moments between them are believable and elevate the material substantially. For a film that's not even two hours long it's quite spectacular that both actors seem to put you through a truly lasting relationship. Adams is lovely as the sensitive artist who has strength beneath her nervous facade. The emotion she conveys in her eyes alone is wonderful. Yet, it's Christoph Waltz who steals the show. Waltz has not only proven to be the best actor in this film, but perhaps my favorite actor working today. Ever since I saw him in his first Quentin Tarantino venture, 'Inglorious Basterds', I knew I was watching a master. His giddiness and exaggerated expressions in the films he's made are pushing on over-the-top without allowing it to go all the way. However, when a scene needs him to be quiet and subdued, he can pull it off flawlessly. His role as Walter is no exception. His first appearance had everyone in the audience perk up in their seat a bit, and from that point on whenever there was a brief moment where he wasn't in the scene I was missing him dreadfully.
This is by far the most 'non-Burtonesque' of all Tim Burton's films. Not just due to its subject matter, but the cinematography, music, pace all feel different. For the most part it's fine, for it allowed me to judge the movie on its own rather than comparing it to his other works. However, I felt like Burton traded his signature style for lack of style whatsoever. There's nothing inherently wrong with his direction, but nothing terrific about it either. If it wasn't advertised so much, anyone could have directed this movie, and I wouldn't have been able to tell. Indeed, there are some small glimpses of Burton's dreamlike fantasies (Adams finds herself daydreaming about mundane people with the big eyes she blessed her paintings with), but not nearly enough that add up to Burton's recognizable flair.
While the direction is a bit mundane, the story a little generic, and some character relationships glossed over, the end result of 'Big Eyes' is an investing and welcome change for a director who's criticized for ripping himself off.
Indeed proof that Burton is more than just an influence for 'Hot Topic' employees.
Grade:B
Review by: Josh McCormack
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