Like a fairy tale, this film puts you in an unrealistic world where strange things happen and some things don't make sense. But the plot switches back and forth from fantasy to reality with the son (Billy Crudup) who thinks his father has lied about his life for as long as he's lived and with the father (Ewan McGregor/Albert Finney) who claims they are true, narrating the tall tales of his past. These two different worlds of what is real and what is "elaborate" come together beautifully at the end when the son realizes everything his father meant by his fabled stories.
When you find out that Tim Burton is the director, you'll think "of course!" The wondrous costumes, mystifying characters, and bizarre settings scream the imagination of Burton. As the father, Ed Bloom, meets the neighborhood witch, friendly giant, asian siamese twins, etc., you can tell the similarities between this and Nightmare Before Christmas or The Corpse Bride. They both create a parallel universe that's seemingly nightmarish and surprisingly pleasant.
The plot was exciting and intriguing with a lot of subtle humor which was quite amusing. The characters were ridiculous, but as always to the fable, there is much truth in them. The abstract characters stood for something much more than what they appeared to be.
I would highly recommend this movie for it is a fantastic, thrilling, and refreshing adventure that I think anyone will enjoy.
"And that's the real story of how you were born. Not very exciting, is it? And I suppose if I had to choose between the true version and an elaborate one involving a fish and a wedding ring, I might choose the fancy version. But that's just me."
