8/10

The latest from Tim Burton is his greatest film easily since “The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)” for combining amazing acting from first timers to the Burton club, and a very well written biopic that stands alone as commentary for women’s rights in the 50’s and 60’s. “Big Eyes” is based on the true story of Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz), who was one of the most successful painters of the 1950s and early 1960s. The truth was hidden from the public however, as Keane’s art was actually not created by him at all, but by his wife, Margaret (Amy Adams). The true story of this dark spot in modern art is a fascinating tale about how having all the riches still won’t make you happy if you lived a lie to get it. Margaret is torn apart for having her paintings yanked from her for someone else to take credit for, let alone her husband. I personally felt that Burton was the perfect choice for this script, and it’s nice to see some refreshing steps by Tim about the approach of this film. For one, the film neither has Johnny Depp or his soon to be ex-wife, Helena Bonham Carter. The movie’s color scheme and cinematography is also reminiscent of his early 90’s work in such films such as “Edward Scissorhands” or “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”. As a product of Burbank, California, Burton has a distinct eye for the colorful houses that popped during The Flower Power era. His impressive landscaping adds a complimentary touch to the already beautiful art work represented in Margaret’s paintings. There’s a special kind of stylistic choice made here with subtle Burton touches that peak at just the right moments. The acting work lifts this film high above a made for TV biopic, as Waltz and Adams are both outstanding. Waltz steals the film with such a sneaky portrayal of Keane that you can’t help but smile at his deceit. Waltz is one of those actors who can act his way out of a paper bag, but it helps his dedication even more when he portrays a villain role. His antagonist not only brings out the best in his abilities, but Adams as well. Amy has a difficult task in this film that she pulls off effortlessly. She has to display an array of emotions while biting her lip knowing she could lose it all if this secret got out. I could definitely see an Oscar nomination coming for Adams, and if the academy is going for emotional acting alone, she could take home the top prize. I wish the film’s final act could’ve went a little deeper for the story of the divorce proceedings for Walter and Margaret. There was a lot left out of the seperation and court room scenes that could’ve furthered the psychological impact of Margaret finally stepping out and raising her daughter on her own for once. In regards to those final scenes, i felt the movie ended at just the right time before it tiptoed the line of cartoonish. I get that every Burton film has a sense of humor to it, but this film is best when it’s message stays focused on the handicaps that women faced during such a male dominated era. Overall, i thoroughly enjoyed this film. It’s easy to recommend it to Burton fans, but i think that everyone will enjoy the story of artistic plagiarism as it slowly reveals Walter’s intentions. Much like the artwork displayed in the film, sometimes you have to look closer for the real charms in a film this special.