Product: The Fisher King [VHS] (1991)
Rating: 5.0
I Love These Guys!
Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) is one of those outrageous disc jockeys and radio talk guys who says crude things for the effect, without figuring what it might do. One of his callers is pretty clearly on the edge of a breakdown, and Jack heartlessly pushes him over. The guy gets a rifle and goes into a disco and shoots it up, killing several people and injuring several more before killing himself.Fast forward a few years. Jack has been wallowing in self-pity and depression, guilt, and his girlfriend Anne's (Mercedes Ruehl) apartment. He gets stinking drunk one night and gets attacked by bashers who pour gasoline all over him and are about to light him on fire when he is rescued by a band of crazed homeless people led by a self-appointed knight named Parry (Robin Williams). Parry takes the injured Jack back to his digs in the boiler room of the apartment building where he used to live with his beautiful wife before the tragedy. Turns out Parry's wife was one of those killed in the shoot-up by the radio listener.Thus begins a very, very strange friendship, where Jack figures if he can help Parry in some way, he will be able to put his guilt behind him and get on with his life. But of course it's not as simple as his first idea, which was to stuff some money in Parry's hand. He promptly gives it to another homeless person, and Jack objects. But Parry has no real use for money. He has, however, plenty of use for a friend.It's a heart-warming and also heart-breaking story. I will say only that it has a happy ending, but the fun is getting there. Williams, as always, has some great comic lines, and Jeff Bridges makes a great straight man for him. They really should do a stand-up comedy act together for Comic Relief or something.