The Fisher King (1991)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Lucas M

  
  A surrealist drama/comedy with a great duo by Williams and Bridges, just like Gilliam's direction and a moving script by LaGravenese in the time when he made good films. Fresh.

• xGary X

  
  An ex shock jock DJ whose flippant tirade caused a mentally unstable listener to go postal finds a chance at redemption when he encounters a delusional tramp who was one of the victims. Probably as a result of his problems in getting the bizarre and brilliant Brazil released by the… More
  An ex shock jock DJ whose flippant tirade caused a mentally unstable listener to go postal finds a chance at redemption when he encounters a delusional tramp who was one of the victims. Probably as a result of his problems in getting the bizarre and brilliant Brazil released by the conservative studio system, Terry Gilliam produced his most mainstream film to date; but it's only "mainstream" by his eccentric standards. The Fisher King could be categorized as a romantic comedy, but probably the darkest, most offbeat one you're ever likely to see! Jeff Bridges produces yet another brilliant performance as the suicidally disturbed DJ, and although Williams is occasionally his usual overbearing self, they do share some magical on screen moments together. I must also mention Mercedes Ruehl who is adorable in a totally naturalistic way and all the funniest moments involve her in some way or another, and there are a lot of laughs in the middle of the film considering the darkness of the subject matter. It does on occasion feel a little incoherent, lurching between grim psychology and lighthearted comedy as it does and it is a little overlong. But it is littered with fantastic moments (look out for an uncredited Tom Waites) and blends social commentary, humour and character study in a very interesting way. Fans of Eternal Sunshine and Amelie should definitely give it a try.

• Jens S

  
  Probably Terry Gilliam's least weird film, this movie is a story of guilt, redemption and friendship, carried by great acting performances from Bridges and Williams and a lot of quirky ideas. When everyone at the train station starts dancing at the sight of William's crush… More
  Probably Terry Gilliam's least weird film, this movie is a story of guilt, redemption and friendship, carried by great acting performances from Bridges and Williams and a lot of quirky ideas. When everyone at the train station starts dancing at the sight of William's crush it's simply touching, other parts make you grin or even cry. Either way, it's hard not to care about these characters and the ups and downs they have to go through as a former radio DJ tries to fix the life of a bum whose wife got shot by one of his listeners. The mix of drama and humor works perfectly up until the satisfying ending. Probably Gilliam's sweetest film, too.

• Anthony L

  
  This is such a touching film, great performances, esp from Ruehl, Bridges and Williams. The dancing scene filmed in the train station is a favourite of mine. Brilliant.

• Aaron N

  
  Jack Lucas: I don't mean to be flippant or to enrage you or anything, but you're a psychotic man. Parry: I know. Jack Lucas: A very nice psychotic man. Parry: Thank you. Here's a decent enough comedy drama that has a number of effective scenes, some good performances,… More
  Jack Lucas: I don't mean to be flippant or to enrage you or anything, but you're a psychotic man. Parry: I know. Jack Lucas: A very nice psychotic man. Parry: Thank you. Here's a decent enough comedy drama that has a number of effective scenes, some good performances, and oozes with Gilliam's style, even while being set in a more modern world for a change, but as a whole there are some problems and oddities that stop it working completely. Jeff Bridges plays a shock jock radio DJ Jack Lucas, on the verge of getting larger fame, until he makes a mistake of telling a listener something that sets him off, resulting in that listener going on a shooting rampage and then killing himself. Horrified by what he has done, Jack then isolates himself from everyone, living with his girlfriend Anne, Mercedes Ruehl, who owns a video store. On a drunken/suicidal bender, in a desperate attempt, Jack tries to kill himself, before he is attacked, but then saved by a strange homeless man. This man is Perry, played by Robin Williams, who alerts Jack of his quest to find the Holy Grail and the other oddities of his life. Perry is also on a daily quest to check out the shy girl, Amanda Plummer, he notices every day on her lunch break. Perry also suffers from massive delusions portraying some past demons he has. It turns out that Perry used to be a normal character until his wife was murdered by the same man Jack unwittingly set off all that time ago. Now in attempt to redeem Perry and himself, Jack spends time with Perry trying to help him get the girl he likes and maybe become more normal. Director Terry Gilliam's visual style is certainly apparent with his use of jarring camera angles, the constant shift in tone and mixing of various elements, not to mention the fish eye lens and a Tom Waits cameo. This all means its a good looking film and has a unique enough sense about itself. The performances are pretty top notch. Robin Williams is essentially in a Robin Williams role, which combines his manic comic sense with the serious touches that have made his work as an actor memorable. Jeff Bridges is sort of on and off, but that is mainly due to how the story uses his character. At points he is an understandably tragic character who let ego get ahead of him, and his relation to Perry works in many ways. Then there are times when he is just pushed too far out of character, whether it involves his interaction in Perry's life or how he treats others. Amanda Plummer on the other hand, completely works and once she enters Perry's world, especially in one particular scene, you really want to see these two together. It is Mercedes Ruehl who does the best however. Its nice to know she won and Oscar for her role as Jack's girlfriend. Her character is great as a person with good comic timing, a strong character quality, a believable person in terms of her relationship with Jack, and even very sensual in her own way. There is also supporting work from Michael Jeter as a Drag Queen and a small role from David Hyde Pierce. I enjoyed the story well enough, but its easy enough to see where its going, just too bad it tries to stretch itself out so much, opposed to editing around the number of very good scenes. This is a good movie, working with the quirky characters, but just misses some of its beats. Anne Napolitano: Didn't you say that what you liked about our relationship is that we didn't have to think? We could just be there for each other. Jack Lucas: Suicidal paranoiacs will say anything to get laid.

• Robert C

  
  My Least favorite Gilliam Film, Mainly Because Of Robin Williams.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Could have been better with less corny romantic scenes.

• Lady D

  
  An unlikely friendship ocurs when events throw Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams togehter in a kind of quest. Great performances from both. This is definitely an unusual storyline and a very enjoyable watch. VERDICT: Definitely worth a watch

• Red L

  
  A very moving movie. Great acting by Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams.

• Dean M

  
  Another extraordinary film Terry Gilliam. Jeff Bridges is the depressed ex-radio chat-jock whose life is turned upside-down by Robin Williams, a manic vagrant with an obsession for bowel movements and the Holy Grail. Despite being hopelessly self-indulgent in places, it's so… More
  Another extraordinary film Terry Gilliam. Jeff Bridges is the depressed ex-radio chat-jock whose life is turned upside-down by Robin Williams, a manic vagrant with an obsession for bowel movements and the Holy Grail. Despite being hopelessly self-indulgent in places, it's so weird, inventive and imaginative that you're rarely bored and end up feeling all's right with the world after all.

• Lafe F

  
  An off-balance movie about an emotionally-cold radio D.J. (Jeff Bridges) and a crazy derelict (Robin Williams) on a search for the Holy Grail in New York city. There's some past trauma which is causing their strange behaviour, and connecting their friendship. Michael Jeter plays… More
  An off-balance movie about an emotionally-cold radio D.J. (Jeff Bridges) and a crazy derelict (Robin Williams) on a search for the Holy Grail in New York city. There's some past trauma which is causing their strange behaviour, and connecting their friendship. Michael Jeter plays a drag queen in distress which they rescue from Central Park. It's fun, slightly sad, and a bit twisted; not too surprising from Terry Gilliam; you can tell it is his.

• Pierluigi P

  
  personally I adore Gilliam's visual style, but in this case he went a little nuts for a story that didn't need all that pyrotecnic, a sweet heartfelt tale with great acting, humour and ethics.

• Curtis L

  
  You can't deny it's fun to chase knights through the city. I just wish Robin Williams hadn't been in it.

• Christopher M

  
  I really loved this film. Terry Gilliam delivers a film which comes close to Fear & Loathing in its amount of craziness and its zany characters, but it also has a really, really strong story with a lot of emotion. Robin Williams delivers a masterful performance while Jeff Bridges… More
  I really loved this film. Terry Gilliam delivers a film which comes close to Fear & Loathing in its amount of craziness and its zany characters, but it also has a really, really strong story with a lot of emotion. Robin Williams delivers a masterful performance while Jeff Bridges plays off of him wonderfully. Probably Gilliam's best.

• Steve K

  
  Why oh why can't Gilliam make a film of this caliber again? And why don't I own a nice copy of it?

• Stephen E

  
  A very heartwarming film. Gilliam is my all-time favorite director. He has this way about his films, how they're all infused with fantasy. This is such an imaginative and charming film, with a witty script from LaGravanese. Bridges deserved the same amount of credit for his role… More
  A very heartwarming film. Gilliam is my all-time favorite director. He has this way about his films, how they're all infused with fantasy. This is such an imaginative and charming film, with a witty script from LaGravanese. Bridges deserved the same amount of credit for his role that Williams and Ruehl got.

• Alec B

  
  An interesting film about the quest for the holy grail and meaning in modern day New York. This is probably the only Terry Gilliam film with a Hollywood ending and he gives it that with fireworks and everything. I think it raps up things too nicely, but in the end it is finally about… More
  An interesting film about the quest for the holy grail and meaning in modern day New York. This is probably the only Terry Gilliam film with a Hollywood ending and he gives it that with fireworks and everything. I think it raps up things too nicely, but in the end it is finally about redemption more than anything else. The quest for the grail was never about some stupid cup, it is about the journey that we must take to achieve it. The performances are all great. Robin Williams is given a chance to be his typical manic self, but also to have scenes with real depth and emotion. The scene between him and Amada Plummer is wonderful as these two people bare their souls to one another. A good film, which takes some very dark turns but is ultimately about the light at the end of the tunnel.

• Stephen E

  
  The Fisher King is a heartwarming and clever piece of filmmaking. Gilliam and his writer, LaGravanese, have blended two unlike genres and created a truly inspirational film. It is honest, funny, and never tries too hard to become something that it's not.

• Simeon D

  
  Another silly, nightmarish ride by Terry Gilliam that sparks to life with clever characters, innocent charm, and Robin Williams' best performance. 98/100

• Ina S

  
  Despite a long-held admiration of Terry Gilliam's work I don't quite like this. The emotions are too simple, though acted perfectly, can't quite put my finger on what I don't like here. Maybe this needs a rewatching.

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