Review of The Fisher King (1991) by Steven K — 27 Mar 2008

This film is wonderful. It, too, has aged well. It is a psychological drama/comedy that is cathartic in its approach to sanity/insanity. In fact, the film's central conceit might well be to question the very existence of sanity! Robin Williams is brilliant. Jeff Bridges, I don't think, has ever been so engaging on film. And Terry Gilliam, the mastermind director behind the film, knows madness first hand and truly knows how to film it and make it matter.

But we're back in wonderland. We've fallen down the rabbit hole. This is Gilliam's specialty (take a look at Brazil, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, or 12 Monkeys): He presents us with a reality that, like Fight Club, is so real we almost believe that what we're seeing is, well, real. This brings me back to one of my other constant life obsessions: Truth. The film bends reality in order to show us truth. The lesson ultimately is that inner personal truth is more important than objective reality.

You will, I hope, agree when you watch the film and find yourself dancing in the middle of Grand Central Station...