Product: The Fisher King [VHS] (1991)
Rating: 5.0
Who is the red knight?
There are few films that feel as layered as `The Fisher King'. There is a lot here to process, and sometimes it can feel as though you've got it all and then it hits you that you haven't even begun to scratch the surface yet. The film is simply stunning, and certainly one of a kind. In ways it reminds me of `Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. It is unique, visual and deeply moving, and like that '04 masterpiece, `The Fisher King' is a film that stays with you, a film that unveils itself to you slowly; bit by bit.The film opens with shock jock Jack Lucas verbally attacking a man to the point where he takes a loaded shotgun into a bar, opens fire and then kills himself. Emotionally devastated by the act, Jack turns into a reclusive shell of a man, resorting to alcohol and basically living off of his girlfriend, Anne. After a night of drinking, Jack finds himself at the mercy of some thugs who think he is homeless only to have his life saved by a crazy man named Parry who happens to think he is a knight on a mission from God to find the Holy Grail. Jack soon learns that Parry is the widower of one of the victims in the bar shooting. Feeling almost obligated to make things right, Jack follows Parry around, looking for ways to help restore his sanity.As it turns out, Jack is the one who needs saving.Tackling the weighty subjects of loss, guilt, insanity, alcoholism, redemption, selfishness, selflessness and love, `The Fisher King' does a major juggling act, and it pulls it off flawlessly. With the right touches of comedic timing, the film flourishes with emotional longevity and comes across relatable and poignant.And the acting is a goldmine.I have friends, who feel that Robin Williams is over-the-top here, and for the first half of the film I understand where they are coming from, but he completely pulls everything in towards the end and fully develops this heartbreaking character. The way he shifts from crazed lunatic to seemingly stable (the scene where he attempts to mate with Anne) to tragically haunted is just mesmerizing. Williams certainly has his own comedic style, and some find it blatantly irritating, but he really makes this character his own. His more emotional and dramatic scenes are simply flawless. His two big monologues (the `Fisher King' story and his "I love you" scene with Plummer) are two of the films big highlights. Just as good, if not even better, is Jeff Bridges. I actually feel that Bridges gives the better performance here because he doesn't have any gimmicks to rely on. He doesn't have the `crazy' to draw attention his way. He simply has to construct this man's unrelenting guilt from scratch and convince us that he is emotionally crippled because of his failure as a human being. He does that effortlessly.That scene, in the hospital, tears in his eyes...UGH.Now, Oscar hardly gets things right in my book, and this year was not an exception (Foster for Best Actress? Palance for Supporting Actor?) but one thing that they got SO right was Mercedes Ruehl for Supporting Actress. Her performance here is simply stunning. She has so much attitude and charisma, but it isn't just a showy gimmick with her. She has embodied Anne with so much heart and soul and emotional complexity. Her breakdown towards the films end is the single greatest scene of the entire year.In the end, I totally recommend this amazing film. This is a stunning and thought provoking film that will break and then mend your heart. There is depth here that is a rarity in this day and age. The moral of this film certainly lies within Jack's shift from selfish to selfless, and that statement is strong and unforgettable.With stunning performances, sharp direction and a one-of-a-kind script, `The Fisher King' is easily one of the best films of the 90's.