Smiling Fish & Goat On Fire

1999 "two brothers, four women and the search for Magnetic Perfection"
7.4| 1h30m| en| More Info
Released: 16 September 1999 Released
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Synopsis

Two brothers share a house in LA's Fairfax district: Tony's a feckless actor, Chris is an accountant. Both are in relationships on rocky ground. As these emotions swirl, Tony meets his US Postal Service letter carrier, a single mom named Kathy who's come to LA from Wyoming with her daughter, a budding actress. Chris meets Anna, an Italian beauty working in the States for a few months wrangling animals on movie sets. Chris also befriends Clive, an aging and crusty man whose longing for his recently-deceased wife is a portrait of true love. Can Clive's example help Chris sort out his love life, and can Tony grow up enough to see the possibilities with Kathy and her daughter?

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Reviews

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.
Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??
Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
scoochie9 I happened upon this DVD at the library, and because I love watching movies I've never seen which also have strange titles, I checked it out. After watching it a couple of times, I've decided to buy it!"Smiling Fish & Goat on Fire" will definitely not appeal to everyone. It's a quiet little story about relationships, both romantic and brotherly, and "coming of age" (funny, I never knew what that term meant until seeing this film).I hadn't ever heard of the Martini brothers, nor Kevin Jordan or Bill Henderson for that matter, and I probably never would have were it not for the lucky happenstance at the library. This film is genuinely charming, thanks in no small part to the actors and the screenplay. Not your basic Hollywood romantic comedy in the least (and I'm not averse to those), "Smiling Fish..." is in full possession of its own self. Bravo all around! Anyone who comes from a close two-sibling-of-the-same-sex family will probably love this film, as well as anyone who enjoys a touching "slice-of-life" story with much originality, and even more heart. Funny, unique, and sweet!!!
george.schmidt SMILING FISH AND GOAT ON FIRE (2000) *** Derick Martini, Steven Martini, Christa Miller, Amy Hathaway, Bill Henderson, Rosemarie Addeo, Heather Jae Marie, Wesley Thompson. (Dir: Kevin Jordan) Independent filmmaking has always never failed in churning out a pleasant feeling little gem and continues that tradition in this funny and warm-spirited sleeper.Chris and Tony Remi (played by real-life brothers Derick and Steven Martini) are very close brothers who share their family's house in Los Angeles and their Native American nicknames from their grandmother (Tony is the happy Fish and Chris the moody Goat) while trying to come to terms with their relationships between the women in their lives and themselves.Tony is an actor who is having trouble maintaining commitment with his high-strung girlfriend Nicole (Marie) while Chris, a responsible accountant, is trying to find out why his gal Alison (Hathaway) is always crying in bed. After both brothers wind up without their ladies for reasons beyond their control they wind up at a Christmas party and the wound-licking Chris winds up chatting with an incredibly beautiful Italian woman named Anna (Addeo) and forgets about Nicole.Meanwhile Tony has struck up a friendship with their mail carrier, Kathy (Miller from TV's 'The Drew Carey Show') who is a single mother whose daughter Natalie (Thompson) is a budding child actress who bonds with Tony at a shared audition. The three soon become inseparable and Tony realizes just how special they are to him.To add to the equation, Chris caters to his stand-offish boss' elderly uncle, Clive Winter (Henderson) a retired film soundman who pioneered black cinema with the likes of Paul Robeson and teaches Chris some life lessons in love by telling him about meeting his wife, an assistant director, on the set of a film where they found love at first sight to be an overpowering lifeforce until her sad demise. Clive can see Chris clearly falling head over heels for the exotic Anna and plays matchmaker.The film works primarily on the natural at ease the real-life brothers imbue for their characters and the easy going pacing by Jordan (who co-wrote with the Martinis; the threesome are best friends in real life) allows character development to glide effortlessly from scene to scene.The Martinis are ably supported by the giddily charming Miller and the drop dead gorgeous Addeo as their perfect matches that you can't not help rooting for these four to stay together. Henderson also adds some magic as the voice of reason from the heart that doesn't ring false in what could easily have been a too cloying plot device.A perfect date movie and a near perfect debut by three very talented guys.
lividirony I thought this movie was an excellent change of pace from the over-acted, glossy big studio releases. The characters are interesting and the plot is not just another stock rerun. It even managed to pull off an upbeat ending without coming off as sappy. Its definitely a light hearted movie without any massive conflict to work through or ground breaking issues to explore. It has a very laid back, slice of life, feel. Great movie to rest your mind on.
michaeldonovan512 Caught this on DVD. This charmer reminds me of a film from the seventies the way it takes it's time to unfold and pull you in. Hopefully with that Greek Wedding movie blowing away the box office more indies like this will be made, films that let you make a connection with characters. I'm getting a little sick of ironic Salingeresk indies. Let me feel something.

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