The true story of Margaret and Walter Keane, who created an art empire, but did so through manipulation and magnificent hubris is told in Big Eyes. Tim Burton directs and does so in a surprisingly straight forward manner. Big Eyes has all it needs in story, stars, and director to be one of the better dramas of the year - Burton avoids the clichés of kitsch and instead takes us into the stylism of the 1950s in stunning detail - clothes, furniture, mannerisms and manners are all beautifully rendered. However, we never really get beyond the surface and when we do it never convinces at it should. The main fault is the polarization of the central performances - they are really two dimensional and as such the film relies more on surface than substance.
Amy Adams is the put upon wife, she tucks her chin in and widens her eyes, and does her trademark mix of pathetic and amused. Christopher Waltz is her Svengali husband, a mix of megalomaniac and charm - the perfect salesman. Together, they create the hugely popular Big Eyes style of kitsch - hugely over sentimental and hugely populist and popular.
The film plays to a dark streak of humor and a light streak of drama - Burton obviously loves the topic but it is in many ways an unbalanced film - it is watchable, particularly if the style and look of the 1950s are of interest, and the central performances are, even if comically simplistic, extremely watchable.
Above all Big Eyes is proof that you really can fool all of the people some of the time.
Amy Adams is the put upon wife, she tucks her chin in and widens her eyes, and does her trademark mix of pathetic and amused. Christopher Waltz is her Svengali husband, a mix of megalomaniac and charm - the perfect salesman. Together, they create the hugely popular Big Eyes style of kitsch - hugely over sentimental and hugely populist and popular.
The film plays to a dark streak of humor and a light streak of drama - Burton obviously loves the topic but it is in many ways an unbalanced film - it is watchable, particularly if the style and look of the 1950s are of interest, and the central performances are, even if comically simplistic, extremely watchable.
Above all Big Eyes is proof that you really can fool all of the people some of the time.