Goat on Fire and Smiling Fish

I happened upon this DVD at the library, and because I love watching movies I've never seen which also have strange titles, I checked it out. After watching it a couple of times, I've decided to buy it!

"Smiling Fish & Goat on Fire" will definitely not appeal to everyone. It's a quiet little story about relationships, both romantic and brotherly, and "coming of age" (funny, I never knew what that term meant until seeing this film).

I hadn't ever heard of the Martini brothers, nor Kevin Jordan or Bill Henderson for that matter, and I probably never would have were it not for the lucky happenstance at the library. This film is genuinely charming, thanks in no small part to the actors and the screenplay. Not your basic Hollywood romantic comedy in the least (and I'm not averse to those), "Smiling Fish..." is in full possession of its own self. Bravo all around! Anyone who comes from a close two-sibling-of-the-same-sex family will probably love this film, as well as anyone who enjoys a touching "slice-of-life" story with much originality, and even more heart. Funny, unique, and sweet!!!

I took a chance when I got this one from my local library. And I'm happy I did! This is no masterpiece, but it's still a surprisingly likeable piece of work. I especially liked the Clive's character, played by Bill Henderson. And I fell in love with Rosemarie Addeo! In all, a nice independent film.

Out of 100, I gave it 75. That's good for **½ out of ****.

Seen at home, in Toronto, on April 23rd, 2002.

SMILING FISH AND GOAT ON FIRE (2000) *** Derick Martini, Steven Martini, Christa Miller, Amy Hathaway, Bill Henderson, Rosemarie Addeo, Heather Jae Marie, Wesley Thompson. (Dir: Kevin Jordan) Independent filmmaking has always never failed in churning out a pleasant feeling little gem and continues that tradition in this funny and warm-spirited sleeper.

Chris and Tony Remi (played by real-life brothers Derick and Steven Martini) are very close brothers who share their family's house in Los Angeles and their Native American nicknames from their grandmother (Tony is the happy Fish and Chris the moody Goat) while trying to come to terms with their relationships between the women in their lives and themselves.

Tony is an actor who is having trouble maintaining commitment with his high-strung girlfriend Nicole (Marie) while Chris, a responsible accountant, is trying to find out why his gal Alison (Hathaway) is always crying in bed. After both brothers wind up without their ladies for reasons beyond their control they wind up at a Christmas party and the wound-licking Chris winds up chatting with an incredibly beautiful Italian woman named Anna (Addeo) and forgets about Nicole.

Meanwhile Tony has struck up a friendship with their mail carrier, Kathy (Miller from TV's 'The Drew Carey Show') who is a single mother whose daughter Natalie (Thompson) is a budding child actress who bonds with Tony at a shared audition. The three soon become inseparable and Tony realizes just how special they are to him.

To add to the equation, Chris caters to his stand-offish boss' elderly uncle, Clive Winter (Henderson) a retired film soundman who pioneered black cinema with the likes of Paul Robeson and teaches Chris some life lessons in love by telling him about meeting his wife, an assistant director, on the set of a film where they found love at first sight to be an overpowering lifeforce until her sad demise. Clive can see Chris clearly falling head over heels for the exotic Anna and plays matchmaker.

The film works primarily on the natural at ease the real-life brothers imbue for their characters and the easy going pacing by Jordan (who co-wrote with the Martinis; the threesome are best friends in real life) allows character development to glide effortlessly from scene to scene.

The Martinis are ably supported by the giddily charming Miller and the drop dead gorgeous Addeo as their perfect matches that you can't not help rooting for these four to stay together. Henderson also adds some magic as the voice of reason from the heart that doesn't ring false in what could easily have been a too cloying plot device.

A perfect date movie and a near perfect debut by three very talented guys.

To succeed, a romantic comedy has to be centered around likeable characters. Although some of the supporting actors and actresses were likeable, the two "stars" of the movie really failed to shine in this department. Am I supposed to like the first brother because he has a tender moment with an adorable little girl while, unbeknownst to him, her mother is quietly watching? Folks, it doesn't get much more cheeseball that that. Am I supposed to like the second brother, after he acts like a complete jerk throughout the entire movie, simply because he wants to find true love? I couldn't have cared less whether these two losers got what they wanted, and found myself hoping that they ended up alone together--because the only people that they really deserved in my book were each other.

If you're the kind of person that is amused and touched when two brothers wrestle in the kitchen and it breaks into a bonding moment between the two barbarians, then this is your movie. For those of you who ask that characters give us something more than their mere presence and hackneyed tender moments to feel involved, stay away. The poor writing for the movie's two main characters completely wastes the few nice moments that the supporting cast provides.

One final comment. I was completely turned off by a phrase in the first few moments of the movie, when some cheesy narration by one of the brothers explains the movie's title and prepares us for the hour and a half of lameness that we're about to endure. It went something like this: "I know it sounds gay, but I really love my brother." "I know it sounds gay"? Did I hear that right? "I know it sounds gay"? Do grown adults really use this phrase in this day and age?

It's good sometimes to be reminded we need low budget indie films to tell us warm, genuinely human stories. Despite poor production values wonderful performances shine through here. Most notable is Bill Henderson giving the performance of his life. Mainstream films offer so few strong emotional roles to the elderly (as opposed to pap like The Crew or Space Cowboys) that it's nice to see Bill shine. When I saw the premier screening at Toronto International Film Festival it received 3 standing ovations, one especially for Henderson, who was overwhelmed with joy to receive it.

I look forward to this film coming to town again so I can see it a second time after post-production.