Big Blue – A Fishy Tale by Kris Hallesy and Matthew Aird

Big Blue (or, more whimsically, Big Blue – A Fishy Tale) is exactly the kind of film that shouldn’t work, but somehow does. It’s a mishmash of absurdity, slapstick, and nostalgia—a movie as chaotic as your first relationship and about as organized as my sock drawer. You look at it, and you think, “This could be a disaster,” but, strangely, you end up liking it. Maybe not liking liking it, but you’re amused, entertained, and perplexed in equal measure. Kris Hallesy and Matthew Aird, the masterminds behind this fishy tale, seem to have thrown in everything but the kitchen sink (although if you told me there was a kitchen sink in one of the scenes, I wouldn’t be surprised).

The plot is simple, if you can even call it a plot: Billy, played by Verne Graham—who does this wonderful thing where he’s both naïve and earnest—teams up with Jesse, played by Aird, who’s more laid-back and sarcastic, like if your best friend were a combination of a golden retriever and a philosopher. Together, they embark on this absurd quest to catch Big Blue, a fish so legendary it probably has its own Wikipedia page. The whole thing is basically Moby Dick meets Dumb and Dumber, but with a fishing rod instead of a harpoon.

Now, if you’re looking for logic, coherence, or anything resembling traditional storytelling, you’re in the wrong theater. This film is a collection of moments, of strange and ridiculous encounters, like a surrealist painting that accidentally wandered into the wrong gallery. But, here’s the thing—it works. It’s like life: disorganized, messy, filled with people who don’t seem to know what they’re doing, and somehow, in the middle of it all, there’s laughter. Lots of it. The dynamic between Billy and Jesse, who have this easy, lived-in friendship, is the glue that holds the whole shaky enterprise together. You root for them, not because they’re going to catch this absurdly oversized fish, but because their friendship feels more real than anything else in the movie.

And let’s talk about the music, because apparently, Vicious Kitty—yes, that’s a real band name—and others decided to lend their rebel spirit to the film’s soundtrack. The music is loud, unapologetic, and very much like the movie itself: scrappy, raw, and entirely unconcerned with whether or not you think it’s polished. Tracks like “Treat Me Right” and “Cow Trippin’” sound like they were recorded in someone’s garage, which, honestly, adds to the whole DIY charm of the film. It’s not polished, but it’s full of heart, like when you bake a cake and it comes out lopsided, but it tastes great, so who cares?

Now, I won’t lie—this movie is rough. It’s not going to win any awards for cinematography, and there are moments where the narrative completely goes off the rails. But, let’s be real, it wasn’t on the rails to begin with. And yet, those rough edges? They’re part of its charm. It’s a movie made by people who clearly love what they’re doing, and that enthusiasm is contagious.

At the end of the day, Big Blue isn’t really about a fish. It’s about friendship, about chasing the impossible, and about the dreams that somehow, even as adults, we can’t quite let go of. It’s the kind of movie that, when it’s over, you think, “Well, that was odd.” But then you find yourself smiling. And isn’t that the whole point?

Michael Rand