Big Eyes

“Sadly, people don’t buy lady art.”A painter's work becomes the center of a husband's fraudulent claim. We close out the True Lies series with Big Eyes, Tim Burton's biographical drama about artist Margaret Keane, whose distinctive big-eyed waif paintings were claimed by her controlling husband Walter throughout the 1950s and 60s. The story unfolds against mid-century gender dynamics, when women artists faced skepticism in the commercial art world and wives' agency within marriages was culturally constrained—context that shapes Margaret's complicity in the fraud.We argue about Burton's surprisingly bland visual approach and whether his restraint serves or undermines the material. We debate Christoph Waltz's theatrical performance choices—does he fit this grounded domestic coercion story, or is he miscast? We praise Amy Adams for carrying the film with emotional clarity even when the movie around her wavers between genuinely threatening sequences (lit matches through the keyhole) and predictable courtroom comedy. We track how the film works better as Margaret's survivor narrative than as a typical fraud story, and we explore alternative casting scenarios that might have changed the tone entirely.We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel—when the movie ends, our conversation begins!🎬 Watch & Discover🎥 See Our Full Conversation on YouTube🍿 Watch the Film: Apple TV | Amazon | Letterboxd📽️ Original Theatrical TrailerSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Shows:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Shows:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next ReelSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Audible