Passion Fish (1992)

A crippled TV soap opera star (Mary McDonnell) retreats, with undisguised bitterness, to her neglected childhood home in Louisiana, where she proceeds to make life hell for a series of nurses, until the arrival of Alfre Woodard. The balance of the movie follows McDonnell's slow emotional recovery and her reluctant friendship with Woodard, but despite the similarity to so many other Hollywood rehab dramas there isn't a wasted word or image, and not a cliché in sight. The film marks a return to the intimate scale of director John Sayles' earlier efforts, and it's a pleasure to finally see a mainstream American movie with the novelty of real characters speaking believable dialogue, written by a filmmaker with enough patience to allow his story to develop at a natural pace. The result is a leisurely but powerful drama, with more than its share of humor and with plenty of lively local Cajun culture. Trivia note: both McDonnell and Woodard were previously featured in Lawrence Kasdan's Yuppie wish-fulfillment fantasy 'The Grand Canyon' where, ironically, they never shared a single scene.

John Sayles works so independently of the Hollywood mainstream and follows his own voice so meticulously that he often leaves his fans just a little short-changed with each successive work. As brilliant a filmmaker as he remains, every one of his films has its own shortcomings that leave it in the "near-perfect" category. In a way it feels as though he purposely leaves something unnecessary in each time out. For this reason among others, Sayles' films are an acquired taste. His 1992 film "Passion Fish" struts along at a very self-assured, yet slow paced gait, much like the population of its Southern Gothic location.The main focus of the film is put on two women, one who returns to the place she left to dwell upon her current challenges and another who comes there for refuge from her troubles elsewhere. The women's paths intersect at a precarious point in their lives, leading to some very interesting results. Mary McDonnell stars as May-Alice, a feisty, soap actress forced into early retirement by a car accident. It's a challenging role and she brings a certain bravado that hasn't been shown by her previously. Alfre Woodard gives a highly nuanced performance as the nurse who has been hired to help the reluctant May-Alice.Like in many of Sayles' films, given his immense prowess as a writer, the true pleasure comes not from watching the main storyline but the local and supporting flavor chewing up scenery throughout. One such gem involves an outdoor luncheon with McDonnell's character attempting to keep her composure and a tactful face with two Southern Belle types she hates. It's moments like this that add texture to Sayles' films, but also tend to keep them loosely edited and occasionally overwrought.

For people dealing with a sudden life change, this portrayal is eloquent. Not only is every facet of human adaptability explored, but common hurdles in major adjustments seethe. The casting was perfect, the perspective well-rounded, and the satire in the writing was classic. Both women were so comfortable in their roles that everything they did seemed natural. David Strathairn was equally good. The music was impossible for sitting still, and the overall feeling when it ended was a warmth hard to find.This is a movie easily warranting recommendation as an exemplar for audiences facing a rough road. The outrage of starting over and sacrificing is beautifully shown by both women. The adjustments they are both making together are formidable, and as they clench down on where they find themselves, your admiration for how they handle the grim circumstances steadily grows.

This film surprised me a lot. I liked it very much. It was well-written, acted, and worth watching Mary McDonnell who received her second Oscar nomination for this performance. Alfre Woodard should be nominated for best supporting actress. I was surprised to find two equally challenging roles for women in an almost extinct era. The relationship between the two women grows slowly. It is nice to see friendship between these two very different characters. May Alice becomes a likable person after awhile. Angela Bassett has a small role as her friend from New York City. David Straitharn plays an old flame who has since married and remain local in the Louisiana swamps of their hometown. It's a great story overall with characters that you grow to like over the time we spend with them.