GO FISH
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1994 James Berardinelli
Rating (Linear 0 to 10): 7.3
Date Released: varies Running Length: 1:25 Rated: No MPAA Rating (Sex, nudity, language)
Starring: Guinevere Turner, V. S. Brodie, T. Wendy McMillan, Anastasia Sharp, Migdalia Melendez Director: Rose Troche Producers: Rose Troche and Guinevere Turner Screenplay: Rose Troche and Guinevere Turner Cinematography: Ann T. Rossetti Music: Brendan Dolan and Jennifer Sharpe Released by the Samuel Goldwyn Co.
In many ways, the story behind the making of GO FISH, Rose Troche and Guinevere Turner's girl-meets-girl lesbian love story, is as interesting as the actual film. This is certainly not a case of a low-budget independent movie flowing smoothly until the rights are bought by a distributor. At times, internal strife threatened to bring filming to a halt (Troche and Turner, lovers at the beginning of the production, ended their personal relationship halfway through), and finding money was always a problem. The cast and crew, many of whom are lesbians, worked for free. By the time the Samuel Goldwyn Company won the bidding war for the rights to the film (following this year's Sundance Film Festival), Troche and Turner were deep in debt.
In formulating this movie, the two women had two primary goals in mind: present a good, entertaining movie about lesbians, and have some fun doing it. Said Troche, "It's important for a first feature: Make it simple, do something you know. And a lot of it came so purely from what we wanted to see--a film that, as two lesbians, we would be really excited to see."
The story focuses on Max (Turner), a "single lesbo looking for love," and the unlikely candidate of her affections, Ely (V. S. Brodie). While Max is a cute, lively, and energetic young woman, Ely is reserved, self-conscious, and not especially attractive. (Max's first reaction is to call her "U. G. L. Y. She ain't go no alibi.") Nevertheless, there is a connection between them, and the better part of GO FISH is spent exploring their tentative overtures towards romance.
The characters that surround Max and Ely are almost as interesting as the two principals. There's Kia (T. Wendy McMillan), the intellectual eldest member of the sapphic circle (she kiddingly tells Max, "I was a dyke while you were in diapers"); her lover Evy (Migdalia Melendez), who gets kicked out of her house when her mother learns of her sexual leanings; and the promiscuous Daria (Anastasia Sharp), who seems to have slept with just about everyone, including (*gasp*) a man.
The basic subject material is, of course, nothing new. But the unique and humorous spin that Troche and Turner place on it, is. GO FISH is a thoroughly engaging motion picture with a touching romance and a great deal of humorous commentary.
That commentary is provided by GO FISH's version of a Greek chorus: Kia, Evy, Daria, and Daria's lover-of-the-moment. The four lie on the floor and speak directly to the camera, giving a witty play-by-play of the latest goings-on in Max and Ely's courtship. In a more polished movie, this technique might seem inappropriate, but in the context of the grainy, black-and-white GO FISH, it works just fine.
The film certainly isn't a technical masterpiece. The quality of the 35 mm blowup print varies from adequate to poor, the sound occasionally isn't synchronized with the picture, and the "arty" edits employed by Rose Troche confuse as often as they provide an effective transition. Some of the acting is wooden (as might be expected from amateurs) and more than a few lines of dialogue come across as stilted. When was the last time you heard someone use "facilitate" in a sentence, as in "Why don't you facilitate a relationship for me?"
Nevertheless, Troche and Turner have achieved their aim--GO FISH is the most enjoyable and entertaining gay/lesbian film to come along in a few years. It is heartfelt, able and willing to see the humor in almost any situation, and avoids a preachy or condescending tone. This is a modern romance of the sort that Hollywood is afraid to touch. Fortunately, there are filmmakers like Troche and Turner who are determined to make and distribute a GO FISH, no matter what obstacles stand in their way.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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