Edward Bloom has always been a man of extraordinary tales. His larger-than-life stories captivate everyone around him—except his son, William. As Edward recounts his life through a series of fantastical anecdotes, he describes his youthful adventures from his small Alabama town to uncharted territories. He tells of the time he befriended a giant, worked for a circus that led him to discover the love of his life, and his encounters with various unusual characters and situations. These stories are Edward's legacy, entwined with magical realism and brimming with charm and mystery.

As Edward lies on his deathbed, William returns home, trying to reconcile the embellished versions of his father's life with the truth he seeks about the man he feels he never truly knew. The tension between fact and fiction grows, revealing the strained relationship between father and son. William, desperate for the authentic story, digs deeper into Edward's past, hoping to uncover the bare bones of who his father really is before it's too late. Through this journey, William wrestles with his feelings of estrangement and the growing realization that there may be more truth to Edward's tall tales than he once thought.