I'm Reed Fish

I watched this movie via Pay Per View on cable with my daughter last night. Having watched three other movies this weekend, I think I liked this one the best. Reed shows a nearly idyllic view of life in a small town in the summertime, where all the inhabitants are nice folk, and the weather is perfect every day.

This movie is really about that moment when you are 20-ish and you really make the big decisions that can determine what the rest of your life will be like. Since the writer put his own real name in the title of the movie, it isn't hard to imagine that this is his story.

Yes, this is not the most exciting movie ever, but the main character was very likable, the humor was amusing and the girls very pretty.

Compared to "Princess Diaries 2", another PG movie I saw this weekend, "I'm Reed Fish" was easily the more enjoyable film.

Fun, quirky, if un-even story. Reed (jay baruchel) has lost his parents, and takes his father's place as the host of a morning radio show for the locals. He's engaged to be married, but isn't so sure.... then about halfway through the movie, he falls apart. Career wise, emotionally, and all aspects of his life. About the same time, the film itself kind of takes a left turn; the characters start loooking directly into the character. And the story itself goes in a new direction, which takes a few minutes to figure out. The storyline is mostly good.. quiet little town, where everyone knows everyone else. A lot of us grew up in a town like that. Can reed pull himself back together and start over? Life is a lot of bad timing... when one person is available, the one you desire is not. It's not bad... the script just needed some tightening up. Can't say too much, to avoid giving away spoilers.

This film has more in common with a Lifetime cable film than a standard theatrical release. The small budget and short shooting schedule show.

The story seems padded and bogs down at times. The incident that causes the rift that is the backbone of the script comes out of left field and is not very believable even in the context of the film. There must be a reason why the goofy guy gets two hot babes to fall for him; just don't ask me what it is. The script doesn't flesh it out and it becomes merely a plot point. Reed Fish's "demons" are mentioned but are only presented in a superficially way.

In my opinion, more time should have been spent in humanizing the main characters and less time on the zorse. Still, the "shaggy dog" part of the script was refreshing and added a depth to an otherwise familiar story.

The actors are all type cast, but very good at what they do. Alexis Bledel and Schuyer Fisk are adorably amazing. Jay Baruchel once again does an nice job as a schlub. DJ Qualls, AJ Cook and Katey Sagal have their moments.

Forget the hype. It is not a sexy laugh riot. But if you're looking to spend 93 minutes with a pleasant cast and a flawed (but agreeable) script, "I'm Reed Fish" is a good place to visit.

A cute, small, character driven movie about a guy who looks 15 but is apparently in his mid 20's. On the eve of his wedding, his high school crush comes back to the small town where they grew up. Predictable angst ensues. The soundtrack is good if you like emo country soft rock. The performances are fine, too. Alexis Bledel is very lucky to get so much work considering she only has the one persona. Jay Baruchel channels Zach Braff, which brings me to the main problem with the movie. Unfortunately, it is hard to accept the reality of a town of gorgeous women who inexplicably love scrawny unattractive boys. Worth seeing if you can get it for free, otherwise wait for it to be on Lifetime or MTV.

Parts of the movie were brilliant! The acting was on cue, Schuyler Fisk was so wonderful, I wanted to fall in love with her, too! She actually wrote and performed original songs for the movie!

Basically a coming-of-age story set in a very small town, but what sets it apart from some other films is a visceral down-to-earth reality that makes it somehow better. It has that Indie feel to it without any pretension or unprofessional elements.

It is a really well cast and well done semi-indie film that will garner success if it gets distributed. The crowd at Tribeca Film Fest were laughing & people had so many questions for the director and writer, it was awesomely received and really a pleasure to watch.