Kettle of Fish (2006)

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.

Director:

Claudia Myers

Writer:

Claudia Myers

Stars:

Matthew Modine, Gina Gershon, Christy Scott Cashman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew Modine	...	Mel
Gina Gershon	...	Ginger
Christy Scott Cashman	...	Diana
Isiah Whitlock Jr.	...	Freddie
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Harry
Lois Chiles	...	Jean
Stephen Mailer	...	Band Leader
Ewa Da Cruz	...	Inga
Fisher Stevens	...	Bruce
Eddie Kaye Thomas	...	Sean
Ranjit Chowdhry	...	Doorman
Gloria Reuben	...	Mindy
Amy Sacco	...	Rita
Chuck Pfeiffer	...	Walter (as Chuck Pfeifer)
Robert Zarem	...	Research Director (as Bobby Zarem)

Storyline

Mel is a musician in Manhattan, with plenty of one-night stands but no steady companion, except for his goldfish. He decides to move in with his current girlfriend, so he sublets his flat to Ginger, an English biologist new in town. The day he moves out, he flips for the bride at a wedding where he's playing, breaks up with his girlfriend, and moves back into his flat, negotiating with Ginger to her temporary flatmate. Meanwhile, he pursues Diana, the bride, working as the elevator operator in her building while he and Ginger develop a friendship as she does research on his fish. One of her lab frogs and his fish develop an attraction: is this a harbinger of opposites attracting?

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Plot Keywords:

fish | biologist | flat | frog | attraction | 

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Taglines:

A New York love story

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brief sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 October 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Che bel pasticcio

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eagle Pictures, Kettle of Fish Productions, Michael Mailer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the scene where Ginger asks Melvin for his fish, he takes a coke out of his back pocket and opens it. There is no sound of it opening. Also in several different jump cuts of this scene the coke can changes back and forth.

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Connections

References Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)

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Soundtracks

"Unexpected"
Written by David Tobocman
Performed by Sasha Lazard
Tel Twelve Music (ASCAP)

User Reviews

Fishing for a good flick, romcom fans? Pop some kettle corn and enjoy this one!

Mel (Matthew Modine) is an aging jazz musician in New York City. He is a "player" in the world of romance, too, zigzagging from one pretty female to another, but always coming home alone to his goldfish, Daphne. Yet, he is very aware that he is "not getting any younger" and that it is time for him to commit to someone. As such, Mel decides to move in with a pretty thing and sublet his apartment. His new renter is Ginger (Gina Gershon), a bespectacled British biologist, who has arrived in the Big Apple to study amphibians. But, unhappily for Mel, his relationship skills are so bad that his girlfriend soon kicks him out and he needs his old apartment back NOW. Ginger soon points out that a contract is present and that she needs time to find another set of digs. So, they decide to share the place, with Ginger getting the bedroom and Mel residing in the living room. There is a definite atmosphere of dislike brewing between the two of them. Then, too, Mel has a crush on a newlywed woman, Diana (Christy Scott Cashman) who he met on the ferry to one of his gigs. He even takes a job as an elevator man in her building so that he can get closer to her. But, as she is married to a very rich gentleman (Fisher Stevens) it appears unlikely that she will return Mel's affections. Where will the course of true love run? This is truly a nice little film for those fans of romantic comedy. First, the cast is quite nice, with Modine giving a wonderfully nuanced performance as the misguided musician in search of life's purpose. Stevens, too, is very funny as the self-absorbed husband while Cashman scores big points as the beautiful but empty-headed bride. As for Gershon, she shines brightly, in a role that runs counter-clockwise to many of the racier parts in her previous films. With a nice British accent and her beauty semi-hidden under her glasses, she easily gives one of her best performances ever. All of the niceties of film-making, such as good costuming, attractive settings and fine camera work, are present. Congratulations, also, to the imaginative script and the confident direction of one Claudia Myers. In brief, if you are fishing for a new flick in the world of romcom entertainment, you would be well advised to "catch" this one. Grab it at the nearest video outlet, pop some kettle corn in the micro, and kick off your shoes for a nice little watch.