Kettle of Fish (2006)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Claudia Myers

Writer:

Claudia Myers (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

A New York love story

Plot:

A lifelong bachelor confronts his intimacy issues when he sublets his apartment to a fetching biologist. His heartsick fish and his wise best buddy are on hand to provide perspective.

Plot Keywords:

Fish | Biologist | Flat | Wedding | Elevator Operator

Cast

Matthew Modine	...	Mel
Gina Gershon	...	Ginger
Christy Scott Cashman	...	Diana
Fisher Stevens	...	Bruce
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Harry
Isiah Whitlock Jr.	...	Freddie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Krista Ayne	...	Seductive Neighbor
Samantha Buck	...	Mother
Lois Chiles	...	Jean
Ranjit Chowdhry	...	Doorman
Ewa Da Cruz	...	Inga
Revina Delmars	...	Isabelle
Darrie Lawrence	...	Resident
Marc Lazard	...	Best Man
John Buffalo Mailer	...	Logan (as John Mailer)
Stephen Mailer	...	Band Leader
Malachy McCourt	...	Robert
Billy Merritt	...	Driver
Tarajia Morrell	...	Sheila
Chuck Pfeiffer	...	Walter
Gloria Reuben	...	Mindy
Amy Sacco	...	Rita
Manny Siverio	...	Sedan Driver
Ted Sod	...	Breakfast Man
Eddie Kaye Thomas	...	Sean
Tamara Whatley	...	Beth
Kevin Witt	...	Mel's Spirit
Kevin Lee Witt	...	Mel's Spirit
Robert Zarem	...	Research Director (as Bobby Zarem)

MPAA:

Rated R for brief sexuality.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Eagle Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: After Ginger moves into her flat she starts cleaning and puts books on the shelf. The spines are facing the camera when she puts them on the shelf. In the very next scene when she is dusting the books have turned around.

Movie Connections:

References Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)

Soundtrack:

Want It All

Fine with your pizza, a glass of wine, and a date....

Kettle of Fish is for those who like their romantic comedies to seem sophisticated while sipping a glass of wine, but secretly want to be eating pizza, and unwinding after a long week. Nothing too demanding, just flows according to the the rules of the genre: jazz musician, non-committal bachelor type, leases his flat to English research repressed but stunning woman, sparks fly, musician tries other relationships but gradually realizes what's going on.... (It that counts as a spoiler you're probably watching the wrong kind of film...)

Matthew Modine is good as the bachelor fast approaching his sell-by date - he exudes a kind of laid-back charm that works well. Gina Gershon is too British in places - honestly, her accent makes "A Brief Encounter" sound like low down cockney by comparison, if you can forgive it and just treat it as OTT primness then a good time is to be had by all. The fish has real potential, and will no doubt get work. As will the frog. Iguana not so sure about.

While utterly predictable in its ending as befits its romantic nature, it is surprisingly good in its conversations and silly enough in the chase to have a kookie charm of it's own.

Smooth sounds, and fun. My wife and I found this very good in places (Esppecially the conversations the male characters had with each other), but felt the distractions in the plot were trying too hard to be funny peculiar, rather than funny ha-ha. Overall, though, very pleasant and a good warm romantic movie.

We liked it - but we would want the laughs to be tones down and the conversations to be tighter to really love it - worth a rental...