The ending of Big Fish always gets me.

I watched Big Fish last night with my wife. I’ve seen it quite a few times since it came out 17 years ago, and even more times since I’ve known my wife as it’s one of her favorites, and I will say there are several flaws sprinkled throughout. Don’t get me wrong, it’s quite good, but it’s not perfect.With that being said, that ending is perfect. Spoilers - but it’s 17 years old, so I don’t care - when Will is telling his father the adventurous story of them escaping the hospital to go to the river, then it shows the reality of the situation in which his father passes away is beautiful filmmaking. Transition to the funeral after that and I’m a mess of tears. It doesn’t stray too far into corny, sentimental territory but rather feels like what that situation would truly be like with a loved one slowly letting go. As I already stated, I’ve seen that movie several times in my life, but last night I still cried at that moment. It gets me every time.Last night it hit me hard for two reasons. First, I was reading about it on Wikipedia while we were watching the film and the screenwriter for the film, John August, based the son’s character on himself as he did not have a good relationship with his father. Also, the director, Tim Burton, didn’t have much of a relationship with either of his parents but had lost both of them within the two years leading up to the film being made. Even though he didn’t have a relationship with his parents, their passing still hit him very hard. I feel that the ending to this film is both of them dealing with the relationship, or lack thereof, they had with their parents and giving them a proper goodbye.Second, it made me think of my parents. I just turned 30 and my parents are pushing 70. I have no idea when I’ll be in this situation with them and watching this movie last night really made me think about our mortality. I feel that ending gets sadder the older you get because of this fact, we’re all mortal and will one day pass away.It’s a good but flawed movie with a perfect ending. Accept your loved ones for who they are, flaws and all. Rant over. via /r/movies https://ift.tt/3iztNMJ