FANTASY has always been Tim Burton's forte. From a man with scissors for hands through comic book heroes to invading aliens, his finest films have always been decidedly left-of-centre.

But Big Fish, sees him move into the realms of real life. This tale of a son, Will, struggling to connect with his dying father is rooted firmly in reality, with the present real world providing a frame for the tall stories that the older man, Edward, tells about his youth.

Strangely, this makes the fantasy sections harder to believe than in a film, such as Edward Scissorhands, which is pure fantasy.

The fact that the stories are not true within the context of the film may make some viewers feel distanced from the imaginary events unfolding before them and make it difficult for them to connect with the characters or care a lot about them.

The film explores the relationship between storytelling and reality and how much you enjoy it is sure to depend to a large extent on your own relationship to fantasy in your own life. There is no point in complaining that 'that would never happen' about the flashback sequences because it's not supposed to have happened.

That said, many viewers are sure to enjoy tripping between reality and fantasy, via exaggeration. As the film goes on it becomes apparent that lots of the fantasies have a grain of truth in them - the conjoined singers were regular twins, the sheep-eating giant was an exceptionally tall man - as is the case with many fantasies.

As Will begins to realise that his father was telling stories to make life more interesting rather than to deceive him the pair become closer, and the gulf between them is bridged just in time, giving the film an emotional payoff.

The delights of disappearing into fantasy rather than spending your time in reality is emphasised by the look of the film during the flashback sequences, which are beautifully shot with and are full of bright colours, permanent sunshine and happy-looking people.

This is an admirable attempt to gel fantasy with reality, but some viewers may feel that it's not entirely successful.

Rating: 6/10