Go Fish

I wanted so badly for this movie to be good.

But it's terrible. The acting was awful, to begin with. Max (Guinevere Turner) is the only person onscreen with any semblance of acting ability, but it's possible that I was merely distracted by her prettiness. The characters are strange and difficult to relate to, except perhaps again the central character Max. The film tries so hard to be arty and highbrow, but succeeds only in being pretentious and utterly ridiculous. Skip this one. Sigh.

So, my friends forced me to watch this movie and I was prepared for an artsy film with high philosophy and low interest. Instead I found myself captivated by the "documentary" approach. Daria's "trial" was a unique way to air the varied questions and challenges that face the lesbian community and individuals as they attempt to define themselves without limiting their possibilities. Max and Eli's exploration of love and relationships was equally entertaining, combining a look at what it means to be committed (Eli's "girlfriend" that she hadn't seen for years and Max's search for someone.) And the nail clipping scene was just the right touch of the absurd to make the moment feel like something that could happen rather than something that belongs only in the world of Hollywood fantasy.

These women, though similar to the "Dykes To Watch Out For" comic characters, are incredibly realistic in their interactions, activities and dress patterns/self presentation. There is, after all, a reason that DTWOF is a hugely popular lesbian comic strip. The characters in "Go Fish" are modeled after real lesbians, not Hollywood creations. You get the sense that part of the film is scripted, and other parts are ad-libbed. I watched this movie (again and again) and thought THESE ARE DYKES! This is NOT a Hollywood flick with shiny Hollywood glitz gals and high budget special effects. This film is RAW, and will appeal to lesbians and independent film lovers. Warning: if you thought "Bound" was the quintessential lesbian flick, you will NOT like "Go Fish".

I remember seeing this near the time it came out and found it very stylish and interesting. I just watched it again after 25 years. I still enjoyed it but, of course, it definitely feels dated, and doesn't pack the punch it packed back then due to 25 years of progress on LGBT issues.

I think some of the bad reviews might be coming from people putting it into modern context. Some are probably saying, "ok, and...?" That's because today (fortunately) it simply isn't all that earth-shattering to think that same-sex couples seek romantic relationships much like straight couples do.

But back in 1994, this was not commonly thought of by those outside the LGBT community, so the film was a big deal conceptually. It was also very modern in style. Put two and two together and you had a very hip little art house movie.

It doesn't come off that way now though. The concept is pretty mainstream and the film is definitely not modern in style. So really, the film needs to be viewed as a piece of history and it will be much more enjoyable.

This film is about lesbians but it has a message for all. First off, it is to me the first film that does not have issues with being a lesbian or gay for that matter. Go Fish works from the inside out and features real members of the chicago lesbian community. Go Fish urges you to just get out there and date rather than waiting for the perfect woman or man. Unlike Philadelphia, it doesnt try and make any pc claims about sex or homosexuality. I give these girls snaps, they put it together for p