Review of Passion Fish (1992) by Mark O — 07 Dec 2009

Let me say right from the start; I am an unabashed Alfre Woodard fan. That said, this is one of my favorite movies.

The cast is fantastic, Mary McDonnell as a drunken, broken-spirited woman, who decides to Ã?Â?recover from a accident which leaves her in a wheel chair. She takes up residence in an old family home in the Louisiana boondocks. Being confined to the wheelchair, she needs help in taking care of things and herself in this large old home in the middle of nowhere. Enter Alfre Woodard, she too has her reasons, we find out, for taking this job in this remote location.

The report between Woodard and McDonnell is priceless considering McDonell is usually "half out of the wrapper".

Theres all sorts of dynamics going on outside these two's existence in this big old house on the Bayou. Slowly their former lives start to intrude in the solitude of their current situation.

This is a delightful movie, full of keen observations of life, dished out with a healthy dose of alcohol, self-pity and disillutionment.

The name of this movie is "Passion Fish", and there is some passion in this flick too, although it is very restrained.

This is not a fast movie, however, "Passion Fish" is not slow either. It's also a movie which got very little attention, certainly not as much as it deserved. This is one of those movies you can bring to someone's house and more than likely, they've not seen it.

Rent it or if you find it inexpesively, buy it, I doubt you'll get sick of watching it. It is a wonderful reality check of life and the people you think you know. Beautifully filmed and richly acted, it's a great escape movie from your own troubles for a couple of hours.

Passion Fish, Four Stars.