Despite Burton’s visual style, it’s a surprisingly deep film focused on conformity. Sure every house and car is a unique color, but they all look the same and leave on their morning commutes at the same time. 

There’s more diversity when it comes to the characters, but it’s essentially the same thing: conforming to social norms. Alan Arkin fully expects Ed to get a job and be productive, so much that he doesn’t even acknowledge Edward’s sexual assault; because that doesn’t happen to men. Men assault women, which is exactly the gossip spread through town. 

There’s something exciting about being new and different, whether an interesting lawn sculpture or a new haircut, but all it takes is one small thing for people to revert to the worldview they know best: different is bad. 

Winona Ryder and Johnny Depp truly make this movie. Winona, for her excellent foil to the rest of the townspeople, and Depp due to a level of naive innocence few actors could pull off.