---
title: "Big Eyes"
year: 2014
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/big-eyes"
fi1m_id: "big-eyes"
imdb_id: "tt1126590"
tmdb_id: 87093
wikidata_id: "Q10858674"
fi1m_score: 64
critics_score: 60
critics_reviews: 28
published: "2026-10-01T23:01:53.800066+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-01T23:01:57.658871+00:00"
region: "SE"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Big Eyes (2014)

Directed by Tim Burton · 1h 46m · Drama

## Identity

Big Eyes

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/big-eyes
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** big-eyes
- **IMDb ID:** tt1126590
- **TMDB ID:** 87093
- **Wikidata ID:** Q10858674
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1126590/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/87093, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10858674

**Fi1m score: 64** · Critics 60 from 28 reviews

*In a sentence:* Amy Adams tries to get a word in while Christoph Waltz appears to be addressing the next street

> Tim Burton gives *Big Eyes* an appealing softness, and Amy Adams makes Margaret Keane’s struggle matter. The brisk storytelling and Christoph Waltz’s overplaying keep a worthwhile drama from becoming a particularly searching one.

## Synopsis

In mid-century San Francisco, Margaret Keane (Amy Adams) paints figures with enormous eyes. Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz) sells her work, and the pictures find buyers while their creator struggles for recognition. Around them are Dick Nolan (Danny Huston) and a public willing to buy the paintings. Margaret wants to be acknowledged as the artist, but the man promoting her pictures stands between her and that recognition. As the paintings attract attention, questions of who makes them and who gets the credit become inseparable from the business of selling them.

## Review

*Big Eyes* is an engaging but limited drama about a painter denied credit for her own work. Tim Burton takes Margaret Keane seriously, which matters when her enormous-eyed figures are so easy to dismiss, and Amy Adams makes her worth caring about. We can see why this story attracted him: the pictures sit comfortably within the film’s soft, almost cartoonish appearance. He is less convincing when he tries to make the exploitation funny.

Margaret makes the pictures; Walter Keane sells them. That division gives the screenplay by Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander plenty to investigate: whose talent is valued, who controls the proceeds, and how a painter learns to accept being overlooked. Instead, the film moves briskly through the dispute over authorship without spending enough time on Margaret’s thinking. The story is easy to follow, but the woman at its centre remains less fully understood than she should.

Amy Adams supplies much of what the writing leaves out. Her Margaret is anxious without becoming merely helpless, and the performance suggests someone who has to work up to asserting herself. We were moved by her struggle to claim the paintings, because Amy Adams makes the wish to be acknowledged feel difficult even to express. The film needs that hesitancy: it helps us understand how knowing the work belongs to her might not be enough to make her say so.

Christoph Waltz gives Walter far more room than the drama can comfortably accommodate. His broad performance can be entertaining, but it repeatedly distracts from Margaret. A film about a woman’s work being overshadowed needs to be careful about giving the man so much attention, and Tim Burton does not always seem to notice the problem. We need to understand the hold Walter has; being repeatedly shown that he is overbearing does not do that.

Bruno Delbonnel’s cinematography is a stronger reason to stay. The soft, heightened images suit the painted faces, while Rick Heinrichs’s production design makes mid-century San Francisco an inviting place to spend time. The pictures are allowed to look touching, unsettling or faintly ridiculous without the film insisting that we settle on one response. That freedom is welcome, and it means we need not share Margaret’s taste to care about what happens to her work.

Joseph C. Bond IV keeps the editing brisk, although the transitions sometimes feel hurried and the film rarely settles long enough to complicate an impression. Danny Elfman’s score helps the emotion along, but it cannot reconcile the uneasy shifts between Margaret’s distress and Walter’s comedy. The narration adds another distraction when the performances already have enough competing demands on our attention. At 106 minutes, the film is not overlong; it could simply spend its time more usefully.

The familiar biographical formula is a poor fit for the oddness of the pictures. We would have welcomed a longer look at why Margaret keeps making them and why other people want them on their walls. Amy Adams provides enough reason to stay for anyone interested in artists and the business conducted around them. Go for her, and expect to spend some of the evening wishing everyone else would quieten down.

*Fi1m score 64, published 1 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The consensus on Big Eyes is mixed, leaning towards modest approval. Amy Adams attracts the most consistent praise for giving Margaret Keane sympathy, anxiety and a growing resolve, even when critics find the surrounding drama thin. The period design, San Francisco imagery and Burton’s attention to Keane’s paintings also earn approval. Several reviews welcome his move towards more grounded storytelling; The Guardian finds an insightful account of Margaret’s struggle to claim authorship.

The divide is over how deeply the film explores that struggle, with verdicts ranging from thoughtful and engaging to dramatically inert. Reservations cluster around conventional storytelling, shallow characterisation and an unsettled tone. Christoph Waltz is particularly divisive: The Hollywood Reporter praises his performance, while Variety finds him overpowering. Many reviews argue that the film raises questions about art, exploitation and recognition without examining them closely enough, though its warmer notices find substance in those same themes.

## Straight answers

**Is Big Eyes worth watching?**

*Big Eyes* is worth considering if you enjoy dramas about artists, and we score it 64 out of 100. Amy Adams makes Margaret Keane’s struggle for recognition moving, but we find the brisk storytelling leaves her insufficiently explored, while Christoph Waltz’s overplaying distracts from the woman whose work matters most.

**How long is Big Eyes, and what is it rated?**

*Big Eyes* runs 1h 46m. It is a drama film.

**Where can I watch Big Eyes in Sweden?**

*Big Eyes* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in Sweden, and it is also available to rent from Apple TV from kr 39.00. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Big Eyes, and is it suitable for children?**

*Big Eyes* has a UK 12 certificate, so it is not suitable for children under 12; we would steer younger viewers elsewhere. Margaret’s distress and Walter’s overbearing behaviour are the concerns we identify, but we cannot give a more specific warning about violence or frightening material from those details alone.

**How does Big Eyes compare to Ed Wood?**

*Big Eyes* is the more limited drama beside [*Ed Wood*](https://film.one/film/ed-wood), which we recommend for its humour, kindness and greater room for an artist’s eccentricity and failure. Both show Tim Burton’s sympathy for misunderstood artists, but *Big Eyes* suits those drawn to the struggle for recognition, while *Ed Wood* offers a fuller treatment of stubborn artistic hope.

**What should I watch after Big Eyes?**

After *Big Eyes*, try [*Ed Wood*](https://film.one/film/ed-wood) (1994, Fi1m 84): Another misunderstood artist, given more room for eccentricity, failure and stubborn hope. Then [*The Red Shoes*](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes) (1948, Fi1m 92): For a more feverish account of artistic talent and the people claiming it.

### Reviews we read (28)

- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (80/100, inferred): The critic sees the film as one of Burton’s most thoughtful and accomplished works in years. He singles out Burton’s successful move away from fantasy, horror and science fiction. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/big-eyes/5080040.article)
- **The Guardian**, Mark Kermode (80/100, inferred): Kermode finds the film an insightful, grown-up return to form for Burton. He praises Amy Adams’s sympathetic portrayal of Margaret Keane and the film’s account of her struggle to claim authorship. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/dec/28/big-eyes-review-tim-burton-amy-adams)
- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (75/100, inferred): O'Sullivan finds the biopic nimble and distressing, and a welcome change of pace for Tim Burton. She singles out the film's magnetic big-eyed imagery and its playful ambiguity about whether Keane's art is grotesque or gorgeous. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/big-eyes-film-review-a-lovely-change-of-pace-for-director-tim-burton-9935334.html)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Matt Zoller Seitz (3/4): The review regards the film as an engaging account of artistic creation and exploitation. It singles out Amy Adams’s performance as a key strength. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/big-eyes-2014)
- **The AV Club**, A.A. Dowd (B-): Dowd finds the film an underwhelming, overly square biopic, despite some surface pleasures. He praises its mid-century San Francisco atmosphere but criticizes the passive portrayal of Margaret and distracting narration. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-biopic-big-eyes-adds-another-misfit-to-tim-burton-s-1798182277)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (70/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film nimble and enjoyable, though less strange and resonant than Burton’s Ed Wood. He singles out Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz’s performances, along with the period design and San Francisco cinematography, for praise. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/big-eyes-film-review-749076/)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The article appears to be a review of Tim Burton’s film, but the page content is inaccessible. Its verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be verified from the available text. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/25/movies/big-eyes-casts-another-side-of-keane-art.html)
- **Empire**, Ian Freer (60/100, inferred): Freer finds the film entertaining but flawed, with its uneven tone and lack of depth holding it back. He praises Amy Adams’s compelling performance and the fascinating true story, while criticizing Christoph Waltz’s over-the-top portrayal. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/big-eyes-review/)
- **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (3/3/2): The critic finds the biopic brisk but shallow, faulting Burton for missing the story’s subtext. The review praises the stranger-than-fiction premise while noting that the film barely examines the artistic and psychological questions it raises. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/big-eyes)
- **Radio Times**, Emma Simmonds (3/5): The review finds Burton’s treatment of the true story kitsch and amusing. It praises how his soft, cartoonish visual style suits Margaret Keane’s paintings. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-1wk0ej/big-eyes/)
- **Total Film**, James Mottram (3/5): The review finds the film watchable but ultimately ordinary. It praises Amy Adams’s performance while criticizing Christoph Waltz’s characterization as caricature rather than character. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/big-eyes-review/)
- **Vulture**, David Edelstein (60/100, inferred): Edelstein finds the film engaging but uneven, with Christoph Waltz’s broad performance undermining Amy Adams’s work. He singles out the final stretch as tingly suburban-noir fun. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2014/12/movie-review-big-eyes.html)
- **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (C): Kohn finds the film a bland, pedestrian drama that fails to deepen its compelling story. He praises its lush cinematography and polished visuals, while noting that Amy Adams provides a more credible source of tension. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-tim-burtons-big-eyes-isnt-a-return-to-ed-wood-glory-its-just-basic-68000/)
- **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (2/5): The review finds the true-life drama peculiar and disappointing. It singles out Christoph Waltz’s performance as overplayed. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/big-eyes)
- **Slant Magazine**, Matt Brennan (1.5/4): Brennan finds the film timid and inconsequential, with its social questions reduced to shallow caricature. He praises Amy Adams’s affecting portrayal but criticizes the direction and thin characterization. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/big-eyes/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (35/100, inferred): Sharkey finds the film too conventional and its portrait of Margaret Keane insufficiently realized. She praises the visual design and Burton’s handling of the courtroom painting scene. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-big-eyes-review-20141225-column.html)
- **Variety**, Justin Chang (30/100, inferred): Chang finds the biopic shallow and unpersuasive, despite Amy Adams’s affecting performance. He praises Adams for giving Margaret a compelling center, while faulting Christoph Waltz’s overpowering performance for leaving the film little room to breathe. [Read](https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-big-eyes-1201356160/)
- **The New Yorker** (15/100, inferred): The critic finds the film dramatically inert and lacking insight. They single out Amy Adams’s passive characterization and Christoph Waltz’s miscasting as major weaknesses. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/big-eyes-2)
- **Digital Spy**, Simon Reynolds (4/5): The review calls the film a return to form for Burton, though it says Christoph Waltz’s tonal shifts weaken the courtroom scenes. It singles out Amy Adams’s steely performance and the film’s exploration of artistic recognition for praise. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a618626/big-eyes-review-amy-adams-stars-in-a-tim-burton-gem/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (B): Goldberg considers the film Burton’s best since Big Fish, while noting reservations about his suitability to tell Margaret Keane’s story. He praises the film’s thoughtful exploration of gender, authorship, and the pressures of commercial art. [Read](https://collider.com/big-eyes-review/)
- **Consequence**, Justin Gerber (75/100, inferred): Gerber finds Big Eyes a welcome, visually arresting return to personal storytelling for Burton, despite some shortcomings. He praises the performances and rich cinematography, while noting that the final act strains to make its points. [Read](https://consequence.net/2014/12/film-review-big-eyes/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (70/100, inferred): Hammond gives the film a positive recommendation, calling it funny and weird. He singles out the terrific performances by Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz. [Read](https://deadline.com/2014/12/big-eyes-review-tim-burton-amy-adams-christoph-waltz-1201335416/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Amon Warmann (70/100, inferred): Warmann finds Big Eyes an enjoyable, thought-provoking film, though its narrative lacks depth and subtlety. He praises the performances, especially Amy Adams’s portrayal of Margaret’s changing confidence. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/big-eyes-review/)
- **The Wrap** (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a welcome, human improvement in Tim Burton’s recent work, though ultimately good rather than great. Amy Adams’s anxious, poignant performance stands out, while the film’s reluctance to explore its questions limits its sophistication. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/big-eyes-review-amy-adams-christoph-waltz-tim-burton/)
- **The Playlist** (64/100, inferred): The page appears to be a review of the specified film, but its contents are inaccessible. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be determined. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-tim-burtons-big-eyes-starring-amy-adams-christoph-waltz-20141222/)
- **Den of Geek**, Simon Brew (3/5): The review finds Big Eyes an entertaining but surprisingly small success, held back by an unsettled tone and rushed storytelling. It praises Burton’s attentive treatment of Margaret Keane’s paintings, while faulting the thin characterization and the leads’ performances. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/big-eyes-review/)
- **The Skinny**, Josh Slater-Williams (★★★): The review finds Big Eyes a more engaging and interesting film than Burton’s recent work, despite its unevenness. It praises Amy Adams’s strong lead performance and the film’s melodramatic stretches, while faulting choppy storytelling and ill-fitting comedy. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/big-eyes)
- **Paste**, Melissa Weller (5.8/10): Weller finds the film’s feminist aims and dramatic story undermined by familiar storytelling and Burton’s restrained style. She singles out the performances as honest but hollow, with Amy Adams effective yet bored. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/big-eyes)

## Details

- **Director:** Tim Burton
- **Director:** Tim Burton
- **Writer:** Larry Karaszewski, Scott Alexander
- **Cinematography:** Bruno Delbonnel
- **Editor:** Joseph C. Bond IV
- **Music:** Danny Elfman
- **Production design:** Rick Heinrichs
- **Costume design:** Colleen Atwood
- **Producer:** Tim Burton, Larry Karaszewski, Lynette Howell Taylor
- **Cast:** Amy Adams as Margaret Keane; Christoph Waltz as Walter Keane; Danny Huston as Dick Nolan; Jon Polito as Enrico Banducci; Krysten Ritter as Dee-Ann; Jason Schwartzman as Ruben; Terence Stamp as John Canaday; Madeleine Arthur as Older Jane
- **Runtime:** 1h 46m
- **Release (Sweden):** 5 March 2015
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Budget:** $10 million
- **Box office:** $29 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHDNhWUUhFY

## Where to watch in Sweden

- Amazon Prime Video: streaming
- Apple TV: rent kr 39.00, hd
- Apple TV: buy kr 59.00, hd

*Checked 2026-10-01.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, ID, IE, IN, IT, JP, KR, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, SE, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Ed Wood* (1994), Fi1m 84: Another misunderstood artist, given more room for eccentricity, failure and stubborn hope. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ed-wood.md)
- *Séraphine* (2008): A painter’s working life receives the patient attention Margaret sometimes goes without.
- *The Wife* (2017): Another woman’s authorship disappears behind a man’s reputation, with a sharper marital focus.
- *Camille Claudel* (1988): Artistic ambition and an unequal relationship receive a more sustained, bruising examination.
- *The Red Shoes* (1948), Fi1m 92: For a more feverish account of artistic talent and the people claiming it. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/big-eyes