#Margaret keane self portrait movie#

The latter's journey to self-appreciation and respect becomes all the more fulfilling by juxtaposition.Īmy Adams, Krysten Ritter, and Christoph Waltz in 'Big Eyes'īig Eyes also includes noteworthy supporting performances by Krysten Ritter ( Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23) playing Margaret's hip Californian friend, DeeAnn, as well as Jason Schwartzmann ( The Grand Budapest Hotel) playing a snooty San Francisco art dealer, and Terence Stamp ( Valkyrie) as an art critic who recognizes the increasing emptiness of the 'Big Eyes' movement.

The character's transformation - from a genuinely supportive husband to an unscrupulous person whose perspective has become warped by their own deception - makes him an effective foil to Margaret.

Margaret's relationship with her daughter, Jane, might've benefitted from additional development, though, in order to shed more light on the painter - and her view of the world.Ĭhristoph Waltz likewise delivers another memorable role in Big Eyes, as his (and, in turn, the script's) version of Walter Keane is more complicated than a straight-forward antagonist. Big Eyes also ends up being more subtle as a story about Margaret's journey to reclaiming her own artistic identity as a screen drama about her own personal empowerment, though, it's more on the nose.Ĭhristoph Waltz as Walter Keane in 'Big Eyes'Īmy Adams delivers yet another fine performance as Margaret, portraying the artist as a multi-faceted person - someone intelligent, yet socially aloof and a natural introvert - who would (believably) kowtow to her more extroverted husband's unplanned scheme, due in no small part to her personal circumstances (as well as the social pressures of the film's setting). The way Margaret and Walter's relationship (one that often parallels that of an artist and their producer), as well as their respective character arcs, is handled results in Big Eyes playing out as much like an expression of Burton's own frustration about having to work within the studio system as Chef did for Jon Favreau, earlier this year. Big Eyes also harkens back to Burton's roots as a filmmaker, by offering a funnier and more refined Americana satire than his more over the top recent efforts (see: Dark Shadows). This, in turn, lays down a foundation for Burton to deliver his most character-focused and thematically satisfying work of cinematic storytelling since Big Fish (from back in 2003). Burton (and his cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel's ( Inside Llewyn Davis)) choice to take a simple, yet lovely, painterly approach to portraying the movie's 1950s and '60s era settings, feels all the more fitting in that regard.Īmy Adams as Margaret Keane in 'Big Eyes'Īlexander and Karaszewski's Big Eyes script has a tendency to be heavy-handed at times (especially in its use of voiceover narration), though on the whole, it's pretty efficient.

#Margaret keane self portrait movie#

At the same time, though, Burton's choice to dial down his now-familiar production design choices feels appropriate, given one of the key ideas that is examined here - how a quirky form of personal expression can be turned into a soulless brand - and its relevance to his movie career of late. art world pretenses, social influences on gender roles) told through the lens of a period comedy/drama.īurton skimps on most of the stylistic flourishes commonly associated with his films for Big Eyes, though a more outlandish visual style feels somewhat appropriate for this biopic's stranger-than-fiction narrative. Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams in 'Big Eyes'īig Eyes marks the second occasion on which screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski worked together with director Tim Burton on a biographical film about a real-life artist and similar to their previous collaboration, Ed Wood, the strange tale of the Keanes parallels the filmmaker's own experience in Hollywood, while at the same offering a compelling story that examines topical issues (ex.