PLOT: Showcases how Tim Burton brings his visions to life using his ability to meld the ominous and frightful with a sense of whimsy.
REVIEW: It can be very difficult to encapsulate someone’s entire life in a documentary. So it’s a bit of a relief that Tim Burton: Life in the Line is over four hours long and really takes its time with such a prolific director’s career. Broken down into four episodes, this is something that any fan of the filmmaker will want to check out, not only for the highlight of so many great works, but for some insight from his collaborators that really gets down to who Tim is as a person.
Tim Burton: Life in the Line spans Burton’s entire life and career, getting into the minute details of what makes the filmmaker so unique. It’s fascinating to see how driven he was at a young age, and it’s clear that he was always destined for great things. Nearly every single movie of his gets some sort of spotlight, and the longer runtime allows them to really flourish and not just be glossed over. There’s a certain importance put on most of his projects, and each gets room to breathe. There are some films at the tail end of his career that don’t get quite as much insight, but I think that’s more due to the massive shadow that his other films cast over pop culture as a whole. The narrative moves seamlessly from story to story, mostly chronological, but always flowing with what the conversation dictates.
Burton himself doesn’t appear in the doc, but damn near every single person you could think of that has some kind of connection with the filmmaker does. Johnny Depp, Danny DeVito, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Christopher Walken, and so many more all tell their tales of Burton. While seasoned Burton fans will have no doubt heard some of these stories, it’s how the interviews are presented that really make them feel special. These aren’t just standard interviews and it genuinely feels like these people are opening up about their friend versus being interviewed about them. This is a credit to director Tara Wood, who conducted the sit-downs (watch our own interview with Wood embedded at the bottom of this article). They all clearly have such a love for the man that it comes through on screen.
I think people are really going to be surprised with what an open book Johnny Depp is, telling some very fun stories that I don’t believe have been told elsewhere. Often, actors of his level of fame are quite guarded, so it’s fascinating to see him be so open in this. And given how much his career has been tied to Burton, he really brings the documentary together in a meaningful way. Helena Bonham Carter is also very open about her relationship with Burton, and it’s clear there’s still a deep respect there. The only real notable people that don’t show up are Catherine O’Hara, Burton’s ex Lisa Marie, and his most recent partner, Monica Bellucci. Which, honestly, makes sense for the latter two.
Those who are hoping for any kind of negative light to be cast on Burton with a “gotcha” piece should probably look elsewhere. This is really just about giving the director his due and talking about his influence on so many people and pop culture as a whole.
Tim Burton’s style is one that’s really hard to replicate and the film does a great job of evoking that same feel, with a great score and some truly Burton-esque graphics. The stories are always presented in such vivid detail due to the animations and behind the scenes footage at play. I’m a sucker for any kind of documentary that does a deep dive on a filmmaker or a movie franchise, so Life in the Line was right up my alley. I’ve always been a big Tim Burton fan and was endlessly fascinated by the stories being told. This is an absolute must for anyone that’s a fan of the director. By the end, you’ll just appreciate him even moreso.
Tim Burton: Life in the Line is currently available to purchase HERE.
FULL DISCLOSURE: JoBlo himself, CEO Berge Garabedian, is an executive producer on this project. However, this review is entirely independent, and no instructions have been given to the reviewer.
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