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The Fisher King (1991)

7.5
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Ratings: 7.5/10 from 41,913 users   Metascore: 61/100
Reviews: 144 user | 62 critic | 9 from Metacritic.com

A former radio DJ, suicidally despondent because of a terrible mistake he made, finds redemption in helping a deranged homeless man who was an unwitting victim of that mistake.

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Title: The Fisher King (1991)

The Fisher King (1991) on IMDb 7.5/10

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Won 1 Oscar. Another 16 wins & 20 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Jack
Adam Bryant ...
Radio Engineer
Paul Lombardi ...
Radio Engineer
...
Lou Rosen (as David Pierce)
Ted Ross ...
Limo Bum
...
Warren Olney ...
TV Anchorman
Frazer Smith ...
News Reporter
...
Anne
...
Crazed Video Customer
...
Sitcom Actor Ben Starr
Melinda Culea ...
Sitcom Wife
James Remini ...
Bum at Hotel
Mark Bowden ...
Doorman
John Ottavino ...
Father at Hotel
Edit

Storyline

A madman carries out a massacre in a popular New York bar, after hearing the popular DJ Jack Lucas rail against Yuppies. Dejected by remorse, the DJ strikes up a friendship with Perry, former professor who became unhinged and then homeless after witnessing his wife's violent death in the bar shooting. Jack seeks redemption by helping Perry in his quest to recover what he believes is The Holy Grail, from the private Library of a New York Socialite and to win the heart of Lydia, the girl Perry has fallen in love with. Written by Jim Sanders

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

A good, old-fashioned story of guilt, poverty, love, madness and free video club membership. (vv) See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and violence | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

20 September 1991 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Fisher King  »

Box Office

Budget:

$24,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$41,895,491 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The girl that Jack says might be able to help Parry to find the Holy Grail is named Lydia Sinclair. One of the legends about the grail is that it is buried under Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland which was built by the Sinclair clan. The name Sinclair comes back in several grail myths. See more »

Goofs

When Jack dials Lydia's number, it's ended with "11". A couple minutes later, Anna is looking into the same phone book and dials the number ended with "38" or "30" See more »

Quotes

Jack Lucas: [Swinging on a rope] Thank God nobody looks up in this town!
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Last Action Hero (1993) See more »

Soundtracks

"Chill Out Jack"
Written by Cave Samrai, Richard Williams, Peter Harvey & Jonny Templeton
Performed by Trip
Courtesy of MCA Records
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

Terry Gilliam
19 September 2002 | by (Leek, England) – See all my reviews

Terry Gilliam has made a lot of good films and a couple of great ones(namely Twelve Monkeys and Brazil)this, though could well be his best.

Why ?

For starters there is the cast.Jeff Bridges,officially the most underrated actor of his generation, giving a performance that veers from one end of the spectrum to the other almost imperceptibly.From comedy to tragedy and back again.

Robin Williams- a great comedian and a better actor than he is given credit for.Fair enough he does tend to go through spells of making films primarily for his kids (Mrs.Doubtfire, Hook, Jack) but when he does decide to buckle down and do a serious role he rarely disappoints (Good Will Hunting, Insomnia, Dead Poets Society).It is with this role though that Williams gives what is the best of his career to date,as Parry. He is undoubtedly insane, but it is not yet too late for him, he justs needs someone to take the effort to save him, and if it had not been for Bridges colossal mistake and subsequent search for redemption, no-one would have done it, and he would never have survived, merely another casualty of another one of Gilliams nightmarish cityscapes. Mercedes Ruehl is perfect as Bridges suffering girlfriend.She thinks of herself as hard-bitten a survivor, and yet she continues to stay with Bridges, trying to prove to herself that she has the strength to change him, to redeem him. She wants to be his saviour, and yet he comes in the shape of a homeless madman, prone to dancing naked in Central Park and seeing floating fairies whilst defecating.The Fisher King is a movie about hope, despair and redemption, and all of the human conditions that fit in between.It contains one of the most inspired,beautiful scenes in recent memory,as Grand Central station transforms from a dingy,noisy concrete hole into a luscious, gorgeous ballroom, simply because of Lydia, Parrys love, the one thing that keeps him grounded in any semblance of reality.The chinese restaurant double- date in which Parry connects with her for the first time is both funny and touching, and makes what comes after even more tragic.

It is at times tragic,brutal even but it's heart cannot be doubted,and it remains a wonderful success.


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Jeff Bridges would have deserved an oscar for this comm-12
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Does Perry ever realize Jack killed his wife?! jeffrey-kunze
Gilliams Best Movie?? NoPlasticMan
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