Big Eyes (2014)

The true story of artist Margaret Keane, who for most of her career, got no credit for any of her work.

Margaret (Amy Adams) leaves her first husband and moves to California with her young daughter Jane (Delaney Raye). She is an artist, who paints all her subjects - almost exclusively young girls - with oversized eyes, as she says the eyes are the windows to the soul, and she can put much more expression in the eyes when they are much bigger.

She meets Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz) at a street market one day, and the two of them hit it off. He is known for painting French street scenes, and he sees real talent in her work.

Before long, the two have become very close, and when Margaret’s ex-husband threatens to fight for sole custody of Jane - calling Margaret an unfit mother - Walter proposes to her in order to give her a stable home and family environment.

The two marry in Hawaii, and it isn’t long before Margaret’s paintings start to attract attention. Desperate to be respected for his art, Walter claims it was him who is the artist behind the ‘big eyes’.

Margaret goes along with this lie for most of their married life, as she feels threatened by Walter.

Fast forward a few years: Jane (Madeleine Arthur) is older now, and Margaret continues to paint her big-eyed children, with Walter continuing to take the credit for every portrait.

Things start to slowly unravel, though, with Margaret’s longtime friend Dee-Ann (Krysten Ritter) convinced that Margaret is the true artist, and art critic John Canaday (Terence Stamp) not so sure about Walter’s credentials either.

Eventually, Margaret has had enough, and takes Walter to court, suing him in order to be recognised as the true artist.

The screenplay - by Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski - is very good, with well developed characters, and plenty of tension throughout. There are occasional humorous moments, but this film is not strictly a comedy.

Danny Elfman has composed a brilliant score for the film, a largely traditional orchestral score, mind you. It is never overpowering or poorly placed, but is always perfectly suited to the action and/or emotion on screen at the time.

The cast performances are where this film really shines, though, in particular Waltz and Adams as the married couple. The two young actors who play Jane at the different ages are also superb, but I don’t think I’ve seen either of them in anything else before or since.

Danny Huston as a journalist who follows the Keane’s career very closely is another standout performance.

Director Tim Burton brings his unique perspective and keen eye (no pun intended) to this story, and delivers a film that will delight audiences for many years to come. Check it out if you haven’t already; I might even watch it again soon myself.

8 out of 10.