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Tim Burton reunites with Ed Wood scribes Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski for arguably his best film since 1999’s Sleepy Hollow. Amy Adams stars in the true story of Margaret Keane, the kitschy but iconic painter of the so-called “big eyes” painting series that became popular in the 1950s and 60s. Margaret was convinced to let her husband Walter (Christoph Waltz) take the credit for her paintings, believing the public would be much more likely to support an outgoing male artist than a timid female one. But when Walter’s boozing and arrogance become too much to bear, Margaret leaves him and initiates a legal battle to reclaim her creative legacy. 

I loved seeing Tim Burton reign it in and tell a true story for a change, and Adams and Waltz are more than competent enough to carry the picture. The script does a great job showing us how a sensible woman might entangle her life with a potentially deceitful man. Don’t expect the comic gold we all enjoyed with Ed Wood, though. Big Eyes is a straight-forward, simple drama in comparison. Look for Jason Schwartzman, the late Jon Polito, and Terence Stamp in supporting roles.