Big Eyes

Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz

"A True Story about Art

and the Art of Deception."

I have to say that you would not think that this biopic would be directed by esteemed director Tim Burton. Probably because it doesn't feature any eccentric characters nor delve into any quirky story line. 

It is based on the true story about the celebrated painter Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz) who gained fame in the late 1950s and 1960s for his vivid portraits of waifs with big eyes. He transformed the art world as he also commercialized popular art by selling replicas of his paintings in postcard forms which were way cheaper than his original paintings. But as it turns out, it was his long suffering wife Margaret (Amy Adams) who was the real artist behind those enigmatic paintings but she kept it a secret as his success meant they would live comfortably.

Early in the movie, she is portrayed as a single mother who left her abusive husband and to make ends meet, she would sell her paintings. Her explanation as to why she painted that way is because the eyes are the windows to one's soul so she wanted to emphasize their relevance. She meets and falls in love with a struggling street artist/realtor named Walter Keane who it turns out is really a fake and merely copies or forges paintings.

Yet Margaret continued to stay in the background even as Walter takes all the credit for her hard work. Keeping it a secret even from her own daughter until she has had enough of their tumultuous marriage and she files for divorce. The truth eventually prevails and she is rightfully unveiled and acknowledged as the real artist behind those "Big Eyes".

A story of vindication, awakening and the value of self worth that is well acted by reliable actors like Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz. Although there are several loop holes in the plot, it is still inspirational and the theme of women empowerment shines through and through.