(1994)
3.5
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.
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releases for Go Fish on AllMovie
Go Fish (1994)
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Go Fish
MGM
More
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July 24, 2001 |
