- Director: Tim Burton
- Year: 1990
Overview
Edward is an unfinished artificial man who has large scissors instead of hands. After his creator dies, he is found in a gothic mansion by Peg, a suburban cosmetics salesperson who brings him to her neighborhood. Edward is welcomed by the suburban community, who use his scissors to trim hedges, groom dogs, and cut hair. However, after a series of misunderstandings, thefts, and false accusations orchestrated by Peg's daughter's boyfriend, the community turns on him. Edward is forced to flee back to his mansion, where he lives in isolation, carving ice sculptures.
Takeaways
The colorful suburbia seems welcoming at first, but the neighbors only tolerate Edward as long as he is useful to them, using his scissor hands for free haircuts and garden work. Since Edward can't perform basic everyday tasks without accidentally cutting things, he is never truly accepted as part of their community. When he gets framed for a break-in by a jealous teenager, the neighbors quickly turn on him and treat him like a monster. It is a sad look at how quickly a community can reject someone who is different when things go wrong, forcing Edward back into isolation.