Reviews of the movie "Big Eyes" should be of interest to all fans of film biographies and the work of the famous American director Tim Burton. This is a drama that tells the real story of the artist Margaret Keane, a phenomenal success which came to the end of the 50s. At the center of the story is her relationship with her husband, who decides to impersonate the author of her unique artistic paintings.
Creating a picture
Reviews for the movie "Big Eyes" were mostly positive. Interestingly, Ryan Reynolds and Reese Witherspoon were originally invited to play the main characters. But relations with this pair for various reasons did not work out. As a result, the couple of mid-20th century artists were played by Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz.
It is noteworthy that this is not the first experience of Tim Burton to shoot a biographical movie. In 1994, he released the tragicomic biopic âEd Wood,â dedicated to director Edward Wood, Jr., who made films in Hollywood in the 1950s and 1960s. He received the unofficial title of the worst director of all time. The same screenwriters who created Ed Wood, Scott Alexander and Larry Karashevsky, joined in the work on the film Big Eyes with Burton.
Moreover, it was initially assumed that Burton would be only a producer, and Alexander and Karashevsky would be directors. But in the spring of 2013 it became known that Burton himself would occupy the main chair on the set.
The fate of man
The plot of the film "Big Eyes" is built around the fate of the American artist Margaret Keane. She gained unprecedented fame thanks to portraits of women and children, the hallmark of which were disproportionately large eyes.
It is interesting that in the reviews for Big Eyes, most viewers noted that this is a very unusual film, primarily for Burton himself. There is too much light in it, which is not typical for the director, humor, which can be considered massive, although Burton himself prefers black more. With all this, the viewer faces a very personal and frank story.
Plot
The events of the film unfold in the blooming and vibrant America of the 50s. In San Francisco, something is emerging that will soon be able to irrevocably change our lives, destroying traditional views on art.
The main character is the artist Walter Keane, who appears as if out of nowhere with a new fresh trend in contemporary art - pop art. His paintings are amazing. Their main distinguishing feature is children with huge eyes that touch the audience to the depths of their souls, making a real sensation. They are becoming incredibly popular. They are printed on postcards, calendars, aprons for housewives with their images are sold. Walter almost instantly turns into the king of modern art, becoming one of the most famous artists on the planet.
When Keane is at the peak of his fame, his modest wife Margaret, whom few had paid attention to before, announces that in reality she is the author of world-famous paintings, and her husband is nothing more than a con.
It is these relationships that Burton carefully examines in the 2014 Big Eyes movie. For the public, unexpected details of the life of the star couple are revealed. Around everyone is guessing who the author of these amazing works is.
Prototype protagonist
The prototype of the protagonist of the film about big eyes was the American artist Margaret Keane, who was born in 1927. She is now 91 years old.
It is believed that the Bible and the stories of her grandmother had a significant impact on her work. In the 70s, she became a member of the popular in the USA religious organization Jehovah's Witnesses.
Since the 60s, Keane's work has been popular all over the world, but it was originally sold under the authorship of her second wife, Walter. Initially, the husband and wife agreed on this because of the bias in society for female works of art.
In 1964, Margaret left her husband in Hawaii, and the next year they divorced. In 1970, she married for the third time, remaining on the islands for almost all of the next 30 years.
Court
In 1970, Margaret first publicly announced that she was the author of all works that were previously sold under the name of Walter. He refused to admit falsification, then the artist sued him.
During the trial, the former spouses were asked in court to write a classic portrait of a child with big eyes. Walter refused to do so, citing shoulder pain, and Margaret created a portrait in 53 minutes. This episode is shown in detail in the film about the artist "Big Eyes", this is the culmination of the picture.
The trial lasted three weeks. Margaret was awarded compensation in the amount of four million dollars.
Awards and nominations
Tim Burton's film "Big Eyes" was nominated for several prestigious film awards.
In particular, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski claimed the prize for the best script of the American film award âIndependent Spiritâ.
Also, the tape was nominated for an independent British BAFTA Award for Best Actress and work of a production designer. The jury members of the Critics' Choice contest included a ribbon in the fight to win the Best Song category.
In the same nomination of the movie "Big Eyes" hoped to get a "Golden Globe". Both filmmakers were also nominated for this award in the field of cinema. They claimed victory as the best actors in a comedy or musical. If Christoph Waltz lost the statuette to Michael Keaton from the black tragicomedy Alejandro Inyarrit "Birdman", then Amy Adams received the main prize.
Despite the large number of nominations, the victory of Amy Adams at the Golden Globe was the only award that was awarded the film about the artist's Big Eyes.
Amy adams
For the American actress Amy Adams, the role in this film was a real success. After all, she managed to win the Golden Globe Award for the second time in a row, a year earlier the jury noted her work in David Russellâs crime comedy American Scam.
Adams is 44 years old. She began her career on the stage. She made her debut in a big movie in 1999 in the black parody comedy by Michael Patrick Jann "Murderous Beauties."
After participating in several television films and category B films, she finally flashed in Steven Spielbergâs biographical crime comedy Catch Me If You Can, starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo di Caprio.
Over the course of her career, the actress has been nominated five times for the Academy Award, but has not yet managed to win a single statuette. For the role in the film "American Scam" she was nominated for a prize for Best Actress, all other nominations - in the category "Best Actress in a Supporting Role". It was Phil Morrisonâs drama June Beetle, John Patrick Shanleyâs Doubt, David Russellâs sports drama The Fighter, Paul Thomas Andersonâs drama The Master.
Last works
After the success of the tape "Big Eyes", the actress played several bright roles, but since then she has not been nominated for big awards anymore.
In recent years, she can be remembered for Zach Snyderâs fantastic action movie âBatman against Superman: At the dawn of justiceâ, Denis Villeneuveâs fantastic film âArrivingâ, Tom Fordâs dramatic thriller âIn Cover of the Nightâ, Zack Snyderâs adventure thriller âJustice Leagueâ, thriller Marty Noxon's "Sharp Objects."
Christoph Waltz
The main male role in this film went to the Austrian 62-year-old actor Christoph Waltz. In the movie, his path was very thorny. He began acting in 1981, appearing in little-known European films "Headstand", "Flame and Sword: The Legend of Tristan and Isolde." In the mid-90s he participated in the filming of the detective series "Commissioner Rex".
Glory came to him relatively recently. In 2009, he co-starred in Quentin Tarantino's adventure drama action movie Inglourious Basterds. In this brilliant work of the cult director, Waltz plays the standartenfuhrer Hans Land, who is called the "Jewish hunter." For this work, he received a prize at the Cannes Film Festival, where the picture was presented.
Also, work in Inglourious Basterds brought him the Oscar and Golden Globe for best supporting actor.
The second brightest tape in his career was another Tarantino movie, the comedy spaghetti western "Django Unchained". This time, Dr. King Schulz became his hero. This work earned him another Oscar in the Best Supporting Actor category, as well as the Golden Globe, San Diego Film Critics Society Award, British Academy Award and St. Louis Film Critics Award.
After playing Tim Burton in a biographical drama, Waltz regularly appears in Hollywood films. Among his recent works, one can mention the Sam Mendes thriller "007: Spectrum", David Yates adventure action movie "Tarzan. Legend", Justin Chadwick's melodrama "Tulip Fever", Alexander Payne's fantastic comedy "In Short".
Spectator Impressions
Reviews of the movie "Big Eyes" in 2014 from the audience were almost all positive. Acting duet deserved special praise: the work of Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz was appreciated.
Most of the audience described Burtonâs picture itself as a charming and cute film, which became a bright spark, one of the most memorable cinematic works of the year. Many were simply conquered by a bright and rich picture. Sunny San Francisco shines in dazzling outfits, hairstyles, original styles that flaunt everything around.
It was important for many that the tape was able not only to tell a fascinating biography of the famous artist of the 20th century, but also to cover a large number of important and significant problems. For example, the truth of mass art.
Feminist issues
For many, this has become a vivid feminist film, because the main character manages to escape from her husbandâs oppression, to find true freedom, which is reinforced by self-confidence. Burton was able to demonstrate in every detail the happy only at first glance family relationships in which many families are immersed. It all starts with seduction, followed by an unforgettable honeymoon, and by the end of the attack the most important resources of his partner are already in the hands of the aggressor. As a result, psychological violence turns into physical violence, and the victim is virtually completely isolated.
In reviews of the film "Big Eyes", many have repeatedly noted that the main male character of this tape is unnecessarily demonized. In particular, individuals claim that only thanks to his talent as a manager, the work of the main character became so in demand around the world. But it should be recognized that their relationship has little to do with the interaction between the manager and the creator. Since the manager in this situation did not want to remain in the shadow of the artist, practically taking his personality.
Negative
In negative reviews of the film "Big Eyes," viewers note that this is the second biographical tape in the directorâs career, for the second time the central character of his story, first of all, became famous for the complete lack of taste. Moreover, this work is even inferior to the picture about Ed Wood, who at least bribed him with unrestrained optimism and sincerity, and the film about him was full of subtle humor and an elegant style of narration.
In this case, we see the classic representative of pop art, mass art of the middle of the last century. To the taste of many viewers and admirers of Burton's work, it is devoid of any frills and depth.
Manner of director
Speaking about the directorâs work style, dissatisfied viewers noted that he always paid a little attention to the plot, preferring to captivate the viewer with a stunning picture. In this field, he became famous, creating a gloomy and gothic atmosphere better than anyone. Apparently, in this direction he completely exhausted himself, starting to sin by self-repetitions.
To many, the film seemed frank kitsch, as did the art of pop art, in particular the work of the very Margaret Keen. Therefore, some were not surprised that the tape about the biography of such an artist was the result of little remarkable.