"You are on the threshold of untold success."
Tim Burton's latest film is a biopic that follows the shadowed and silenced life of Margaret Keane. Starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz, the film tells Keane's story in an enlightening and distinctive manner. However, despite it being well-made and entertaining, it is barely recognisable as Burton's – with shots too lovely and light to be genuinely his. Pair this with a strange, awkward and unrealistic ending and you've got a film that is verging on great, but nowhere near as amazing as it had the potential to be.
Set in the 1950s, a time of pretty drastic gender inequality, the film follows the independent and bold Margaret Keane as she goes against the societal norms and stands for what is right (most of the time). The film begins with Margaret packing up her belongings, artwork and young daughter and running away from her marriage – an action completely unheard of at this time. After moving to another town and trying, without a great deal of success, to make a living, she meets 'artist' and businessman Walter Keane and the two fall madly in love. But soon after their hasty marriage, Walter's selling of Margaret's paintings becomes much more. He begins to claim her gorgeous 'big-eyed' portraits as his own, and forces her to partake in the charade. Although they rake in a great deal of fame and fortune, Margaret is driven to loneliness, guilt and shame. Once she realises the ugly truth about Walter, she is forced to decide between a stable and wealthy life, and the truth.The film's beginning largely reminded me of 'Edward Scissorhands' in terms of its set design and colouration. However, the visibility of this auteur's flair ends there. The genius of Burton's early films was just not brought to life in 'Big Eyes', and although it told a great story and had some stellar moments, it lacked the dark, twisted individuality that Burton is known for.
In saying that, there were many positive aspects. One thing that stood out to me was that, in keeping with theme of Margaret's paintings, almost every positively portrayed character in the film had their eyes enhanced to become slightly larger. It was a subtle effect, but it was very symbolic and provided something fresh and unique to add another layer to the story.Another commendable aspect of the film was its cinematography. Although it wasn't anything that we haven't seen before, every shot was perfectly framed and there was a great variance in the lighting and shots that supported the mood at the time. However, even with all of this going for it, the cast is what will really makes 'Big Eyes' a success.
Let me first point out that I am absolutely, irrevocably and undeniably in love with Amy Adams. And although I was worried beforehand, this film didn't change that one bit – in fact it strengthened my love. Her gentle vulnerability paired with her bold and demanding presence is charismatic in itself. Add to that her untimely classic style, dedication to the role and absolute believability and you've got a star. Adams shines as Margaret and pays a lovely homage to the lady behind the film.
{youtube}2xD9uTlh5hI{/youtube}
The portrayal of Walter Keane, however, left me somewhat disappointed. Christoph Waltz's performance was strong, but underwhelming - I felt like I'd seen it all before from him. Although he was able to make the audience love him, and later want to scream four-letter-words at him, his character was almost two dimensional and lacked something unique. However, I honestly don't believe the blame lies with Waltz, rather the direction that was given to him.
Burton just failed to impress – it was that simple. His direction of Waltz, especially in the final court scene, was almost embarrassing. He had the well respected and amazingly talented actor playing an unrealistic lunatic which didn't make sense to the rest of the film and which cheapened it. The whole scene was a clichéd mess, and left the audience confused and a little disappointed.
'Big Eyes' is a good, strong film with solid performances and a thought-provoking storyline. An honouring and respectful homage to the life of Margaret Keane, the film is a great escape. It won't please everyone, especially lovers of Tim Burton's distinctive style or Christoph Waltz's genius talent, but it's a great film for anyone with a couple of hours to spare and looking for some entertainment. It didn't have a lasting impact on me, and I don't have a burning desire to see it again any time soon, but I'm glad I saw it – and there's a good chance you will be too.
3.5/5
'Big Eyes' is in cinemas now.
This review first appeared on This Is Film.
