Antwone Fisher (2002)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Denzel Washington

Writer (WGA):

Antwone Fisher (written by)

Release Date:

10 January 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Inspired by a true story.

Plot:

Antwone Fisher, a young navy man, is forced to see a psychiatrist after a violent outburst against a fellow crewman. During the course of treatment a painful past is revealed and a new hope begins.

Plot Keywords:

Psychiatrist | Navy | Sailor | Beating | Anger

Awards:

14 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Derek Luke	...	Antwone Quenton 'Fish' Fisher
Malcolm David Kelley	...	Antwone Fisher Age 7
Cory Hodges	...	Antwone Fisher Age 14
Denzel Washington	...	Dr. Jerome Davenport
Joy Bryant	...	Cheryl Smolley
Salli Richardson-Whitfield	...	Berta Davenport (as Salli Richardson)
Leonard Earl Howze	...	Pork Chop
Kente Scott	...	Kansas City (as Kenté Scott)
Kevin Connolly	...	Slim
Rainoldo Gooding	...	Grayson
Novella Nelson	...	Mrs. Tate
Stephen Snedden	...	Berkley
Leo Nepomuceno	...	SP #1
Sung Kang	...	Receptionist
Cordell Stokes	...	Keith Age 5

Also Known As:

Finding Fish (USA) (working title)
Fish (USA) (original script title)
The Antwone Fisher Story (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, language and mature thematic material involving child abuse.

Runtime:

120 min | Canada:117 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:12 | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Denmark:11 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:6 (w) | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39019) | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma, San Diego, California, USA

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

Derek Luke was working at the Sony Studios gift shop when he met Antwone Fisher who was working on the lot as a security guard. When Fisher's screenplay was bought by Fox Searchlight, Luke asked Fisher for a copy of the script. He went to the casting director unannounced and asked to audition. He has since admitted "I was so terrible I started crying" but Luke was invited to audition again. Denzel Washington came to the gift shop to tell Luke that he got the part.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the bedroom, after Thanksgiving dinner, Berta Davenport takes off her necklace twice.

Quotes:

[Antwone's all-purpose conversation starter]
Antwone Fisher: I could eat.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2003 IFP Independent Spirit Awards (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The World Is Yours

Antwone Fisher

This is the ONLY movie I've ever been moved to write about. I rarely even watch movies let alone offer opinions, but this movie is exceptional in so many ways. The acting is powerful and believable (duh.. it's real..), and the entire story is totally captivating. I was watching on satellite and had to endure commercials, and it was sheer torture waiting for the movie to resume.

This has to be one of, if not THE finest film ever made. Congratulations to EVERYONE, especially MR. Fisher. I'm a 55 year old guy that teaches in Cleveland and I never thought I would cry, but there I was with tears streaming down my face, all alone in my living room late at night. This story should be told and retold for generations to come. Thank you Mr. Fisher, Mr. Washington, and everyone else. This was a life-changing experience - not a movie. God bless you all for putting this together. I just can't figure out why this movie is not huge forever. Well, I suppose I can hazard a guess, but I truly hope I'm wrong - I think we all know what that guess is...

Thanks again - not just for the movie, but for the most powerful message possible. If you haven't seen this movie, SEE IT NOW! You won't be sorry, but if you don't see it, you'll be missing the experience of a lifetime. BJL