Go Fish

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.

A movie is independent, and about gay women, doesn't make it good. And, it's a shame, because the actress who plays the lead character, Max, actually is very good. But the movie is so poorly constructed, and most of her friends are so one-note, that the novelty gets old pretty soon. I was bored halfway through it; there is a clever twist near the end which raised it to a 5 for me, but don't expect much in between.

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.

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".

This film is one of the best films I have seen. It presents Lesbians as independent and confident, as well as doing away with the usual stereo types. Go Fish shows that lesbians are human too, dealing with topics such as love, parents, relationships and sex, it gives insight into a world that most people don't believe exists. Rose Troche's directing is amazing, giving a real image of lesbian life instead of a Hollywood idea. As far as I am concerned, Rose Troche is one of the best directors of our time and Guinevere Turner is an amazing and beautiful actress. Keep it up girls!!!!!!