Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
In the late 1950s and early '60s, artist Walter Keane achieves unbelievable fame and success with portraits of saucer-eyed waifs. However, no one realizes that his wife, Margaret, is the real painter behind the brush. Although Margaret is horrified to learn that Walter is passing off her work as his own, she is too meek to protest too loudly. It isn't until the Keanes' marriage comes to an end and a lawsuit follows that the truth finally comes to light.
Big Eyes is a solid Tim Burton biopic anchored by strong performances, particularly Amy Adams as the quietly suffering Margaret Keane and Christoph Waltz chewing scenery effectively as the fraudulent Walter. The story of artistic theft and feminine suppression is compelling, but Burton's direction feels unusually restrained and conventional for him — the film lacks the visual idiosyncrasy his style normally brings, resulting in serviceable but unremarkable cinematography. The plot, while based on fascinating true events, unfolds somewhat predictably once the central deception is established. The courtroom ending, while factually accurate, plays as anticlimactic and slightly cartoonish, undercutting the emotional weight built up over the film. Novelty is moderate — the subject matter is genuinely unusual but the biopic formula keeps it from feeling truly distinctive.