Sunday, January 01, 2012

1675 - The Fisher King

This film was one of my gaps - and I've got a bunch of other Gilliams that I need to watch at some point.  I don't know why but I'd always regarded this as one of those "must see films" and I have absolutely no idea why.  Not to say that it isn't any good.  It's the story of a Howard Stern-esqe radio guy whose life falls apart after a caller goes off and kills six people, 'causing at least one to go insane and later, ironically, save the said-radio hosts life. 
Both Williams and Jeff Bridges are phenomenal here, engaging and dynamic, but I feel like they're doing a lot with a little.  I never get a sense of real drama, stakes, or goals for these two guys until perhaps near the end of the film.  In the end I suppose it doesn't quite live up to the years-long-hype I've been unfairly giving it.  There are some quite lovely moments, and then some that are just pure  zaniness under Gilliam's direction.  All of which make it more than worth checking out at some point.

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