Go Fish

UPC: 027616864413

Studio: MGM

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Not For Children, Adult Language, Sexual Situations]

Summary: This hit arthouse ensemble piece traces the romantic and political ups and downs of a group of multicultural Chicago lesbians. The central story involves an unlikely romance between Max (Guinevere Turner), a hip young babe, and Ely (V.S. Brodie), a slightly older woman involved in a long-term, long-distance relationship that's basically a smokescreen for her fear of romantic risk. When the pair are introduced by Max's roommate, teacher/activist Kia (T. Wendy McMillan), Max isn't interested in Ely, whose long hair, hippie accoutrements, and fondness for decaffeinated herbal tea don't impress the younger, more fashion-conscious woman. Soon, though, fate, friends, and Ely's butch new hairstyle conspire to push the women closer together. As this new romance inches along, the pair's friends have problems of their own: Kia must help her closeted girlfriend, Evy (Migdalia Melendez), come to grips with the disapproval of her conservative Latina mother, while their pal Daria (Anastasia Sharp) incurs the disapproval of the lesbian community for her decision to sleep with a man. Filmed in black and white on-location in Chicago, Go Fish features a number of non-standard narrative devices, most notably the Greek chorus, or "jury," of lesbians who comment on not only the plot, but also the political and social ramifications thereof. Shown in competition at Sundance in 1994, Go Fish went on to earn critical and commercial success and establish the careers of director Rose Troche and actress Turner, who together co-wrote and co-produced the picture. Turner would appear in several additional indies and co-write the script for American Psycho, while Troche would go on to helm 1998's Bedrooms & Hallways. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Category: Comedy

Awards: Teddy Bear Award (Best Film) – Berlin International Film Festival Best Supporting Actress – Independent Spirit Awards In Competition – Sundance Film Festival

Features: Original theatrical trailer
English: mono
Spanish: mono
French & Spanish subtitles

Go Fish

Format: DVD

Release Date: 07/24/2001

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Pre-1954 Standard

Audio: 1 USA & territories, Canada, 5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 88 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,Spanish

Subtitles: French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
0. Scene Selections
1. Main Title [1:55]
2. Love At First Sight [5:04]
3. Fishin' For A Mate [3:58]
4. The Accidental Date [6:25]
5. "Not All You Can Eat" [1:39]
6. The Deal With Ely [6:37]
7. Hair Psychology [4:20]
8. The Agonizing Stage [1:31]
9. Sex With Men [6:40]
10. What Ifs [2:42]
11. Family Outing [6:40]
12. Dinner Party Games [8:59]
13. Phonewise [5:17]
14. This Is The Night [8:04]
15. Morning Glory/Details [6:30]
16. End Credits [6:34]

Brian J. Dillard

One of the seminal queer movies of the '90s, and an important indie successs story, the debut film from director Rose Troche and actress Guinevere Turner, who co-wrote and co-produced the picture, is simultaneously a romantic comedy, a political debate, and a stylish piece of experimental filmmaking. The movie's commercial success probably stems from its well-written, well-acted central romantic plot, but its critical significance owes much to the other elements. From a mock Greek chorus staged as a lesbian slumber party to a wide array of interesting shot selections and inventive fantasy sequences, Go Fish challenges the notion that a film has to go for the lowest common denominator if it wants to tell a story that's sexy and sweet. Executive-produced by Christine Vachon and Tom Kalin, whose earlier projects emphasized artfulness over accessibility, Go Fish cross-pollinates New Queer Cinema with feel-good filmmaking and feminist activism. As the politically correct early '90s recede from memory, some of the weightier debates may seem a bit heavy-handed -- especially for those outside the film's gay and lesbian core audience. Yet these elements are central to the film's overall portrait of a group of Midwestern feminist lesbians. "The personal is political" is sort of a Women's Studies 101 truism, but Troche and Turner put it into action, locating all sorts of good-natured sexual and romantic fun within the context of their larger community. From the opening sequence of a history class reclaiming lost lesbian icons to the closing-credits montage of various stereotype-free sexual tableaux, Go Fish is a film by and for real lesbians rather than the soft-focus, male-identified creatures that inhabit so many other movies. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Migdalia Melendez  Actor 
V.S. Brodie  Actor 
T. Wendy McMillan  Actor 
Anastasia Sharp  Actor 
Tom Kalin  Executive Producer 
Rose Troche  Director 
Rose Troche  Producer 
Rose Troche  Screenwriter 
Christine Vachon  Executive Producer 
Guinevere Turner  Producer 
Guinevere Turner  Screenwriter 
Jennifer Sharpe  Composer (Music Score) 
Brendan Dolan  Composer (Music Score) 
Scott Aldrich  Composer (Music Score) 
Guinevere Turner  Actor 

Country: USA