SMILING FISH AND GOAT ON FIRE A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2000 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): ***
SMILING FISH AND GOAT ON FIRE is a sweet little slice of life story about three guys in search of love. The first two are brothers, Chris and Tony Remi, played by real-life brothers Derick and Steven Martini. The Martini brothers share the writing credits with the film's director, Kevin Jordan.
The third man on a romantic mission is Clive Winter, played with the most charisma in a consistently likeable cast by veteran actor Bill Henderson. Over a half-century older than the twentysomething Remi brothers, Clive hopes, with a little help from some killer sweets, to join his long-time love in heaven. In the meantime, Clive preaches the gospel of "the potential for magnetic perfection." Once a soundman on old Paul Robeson pictures, Clive sees everything through the magic of sound, treating it with spiritual reverence.
Clive's character, as fascinating and original as it is, is relegated to the side ring. The movie is about the brothers, who were named Smiling Fish and Goat On Fire by their grandmother, who was half Italian and half Native American. (Tony is Smiling Fish, and Chris is Goat On Fire. Or is it the other way round? It doesn't matter if you can't keep them straight since the story barely mentions the nicknames.)
As the movie opens, the brothers, who live together as best friends, are both in the process of being dumped by their girlfriends. Tony's girlfriend, Nicole (Heather Jae Marie), leaves in a huff, believing that Tony has been cheating on her. More complicated is the situation with Chris's girlfriend, Alison (Amy Hathaway). A recent weeper during sex, she claims that her proclivity to vomiting doesn't mean she's pregnant. She starts to tell Chris what is on her mind, only to stop in mid-thought and clam up entirely.
Girlfriendless, the two handsome guys find love with others. Tony, an unemployed actor, hits it off with his postal carrier (Christa Miller) and her little daughter (Nicole Rae). The daughter and Tony audition together for different parts in the same movie. Any story that uses a female mail carrier as an object of romantic desire deserves some extra credit. Name another movie where that has happened.
Chris meets and falls for a fetchingly beautiful Italian named Anna (Rosemarie Addeo), who is an animal wrangler of chickens for a music video -- the film is set in a short-sleeved L.A. during the Christmas season. An accountant, Chris finds himself accidentally using the worst come-on line in the book on Anna. "Come on by," he tells her. "I'll do your taxes." He is completely embarrassed by his lack of grace as soon as the words leave his mouth. If there were an undo function for speech, he would have selected it immediately.
The good-spirited movie is likeable although forgettable fluff, but its charm easily wins you over, even if its script is a bit thin. Its most lasting result, however, is that it makes you want to see more of everyone associated with the production.
SMILING FISH AND GOAT ON FIRE runs a fast 1:30. It is rated R for language, some sexual content and brief drug use and would be fine for most teenagers.
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
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