In his most recent film, “Big Eyes,” Tim Burton’s far too unrealistic depiction of this true story took too many of his own artistic liberties.

The story shouldn’t have been about Walter Keane’s insanity, but more about the suffrage of Margaret Keane, his wife, played by Amy Adams. Walter, played by Christoph Waltz in a slightly overacted fashion, is a wannabe artist who takes credit for his wife Margaret’s work. Instead of telling this beautiful story of justice done right, it seemed that Burton viewed it as almost jokingly.

I almost wish the story had been placed in the hands of someone who would have explored the psychological effects of having one’s work stolen for a dozen years, as opposed to looking at the insanity of the man who stole it. By the end of the film I found myself somewhat unsatisfied with the resolution.

We saw no walk off into the sunset for Margaret, only a brief moment of her joy, which was void throughout the entire film. In a picture that is intended to end in a blissful fashion, we saw very little such bliss.

As for the acting, the performances on both ends were sound, with my awe favoring in the direction of Adams. I do believe that if Burton had given the film a more serious tone, instead of going the direction he had in “Big Fish,” Waltz’s performance would not have been so overdone. The true liberation of Margaret’s freedom from her captive husband is fleeting to say the least. I also noted that the plot moved far too fast. Very little do I say that a movie should have extended longer than its actual runtime, but I do believe another five minutes to conclude the film and another five to open it up would have done it justice.

There are a few films I have yet to see that will be up for Academy Awards, but I believe that snubbing Adams of the Oscar nod this year was a travesty. This would have been her sixth nomination in the acting category if she were selected. One of the best actresses of her generation, if not the best, I think we are all ready to see her gain credit for her spectacular work. Adams just won the Golden Globe Best Actress award for the same role Sunday.

As far as timepieces go, “Big Eyes” was about middle of the pack. The acting was believable and genuine, but the aura of the film itself lent no credit to the woman who suffered through this crime. I am a fan of Tim Burton’s work, but I do not think this was the right story for his artistic method. Although I had high hopes going into this one, I am going to have to dish out a FAIL.

My Rating: 5/10

Jack is a sophomore in Media. He can be reached at [email protected].