The Fisher King (1991)

“I wish there was some way I could just pay the fine and go home.”- Jack Lucas

Number of Times Seen – at least twice (video in the 90’s and 16 Apr 2019)

Brief Synopsis – A radio talk show host tries to deal with the fact that he caused a listener to go on a shooting spree along with his feelings of guilt which he tries to alleviate by choosing to help a homeless man.

My Take on it – This is a film that I saw not long after it came out on video and recall enjoy it.

This movie dives deep down into the human mind in order to try and find a way to help the characters find peace after they have been bombarded with the effects of the lives they lead.

The trio of stars is superb with Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams and Mercedes Reuhl all giving amazing performances here.

They each manage to make their characters seem real and genuine and we can believe that they have each done the est they can in order to reach their current point despite various problems along the way.

Terry Gilliam is the perfect choice to direct this kind of film because the story needs to find a way to integrate fantastical elements into it while still keeping things realistic without falling into the realm of abstract ideas.

They do a great job looking at the domino effect in life while cautioning the viewer about the fact that whatever actions we take in life, good or bad can lead to unforeseen consequences later on.

These repercussions could be positive ones or negative ones but sometimes it can lead us to do things we never expected to do while helping others.

Both Bridges and Reuhl were nominated for Oscars for their roles here (actor and supporting actress) but only Reuhl was able to take home Gold that night.

The surprising thing is that Williams was snubbed here since he clearly is the best thing about this film.

Bottom Line – Great film that tries to dive deep into our minds in an attempt to help its characters find peace after life has caused them so many difficulties. Bridges, Williams and Reuhl are all amazing here and we can see them all as real people doing their best with what has helped them reach this place in their lives.  Gilliam is the perfect director for a film like this because he is able to integrate fantastical elements into such a deep story without making things feel too abstract.  The film takes a look at the domino effect in life cautioning us to the fact that our actions good or bad can leads to unforeseen consequences further down the line; sometimes those effects will be bad but other times, they can lead us to places where it will do even more good. Bridges and Reuhl were both nominated for Oscars for these performances and Reuhl deservingly won with what she creates here. I’m a bit shocked that Williams was overlooked for his work here tho because he is by far the best of the trio. Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – The girl that Jack says might be able to help Parry to find the Holy Grail is named Lydia Sinclair. One of the legends about the grail is that it is buried under Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland which was built by the Sinclair clan. The name Sinclair comes back in several grail myths. (From IMDB)

Rating – Globe Worthy (7/10)

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