The Amy Fisher Story

Yesterday my friend convinced me to go to White Hen. I agreed, and I'm glad I did because if i wasn't there at the right time, I never would have purchased this film that I have been searching for years for and was very cheap. I was surprised to find this obscure movie at White Hen. This was a movie that Drew Barrymore starred in at the lowest point in her career (go to her page and you will see what I mean.)

Drew Barrymore nailed the accent of the "Long Island Lolita", Amy Fisher, the seductive and troubled teen who was sexually abused as a child and falls in love with Joseph "Joey" Buttafuoco and seduces him into a sexual relationship after meeting him by crashing her car, and crashing it over and over and over again as an excuse to see him. She becomes obsessed with him, and while she respects his wife and the fact that he has a happy family, decides to attempt and kill his wife so she can be with him.

Drew Barrymore's incredible performance makes you sympathize with Amy, and makes you wonder if she had had a normal life and hadn't felt so trapped in her house her whole life, maybe she wouldn't be so screwed up. Awesome script, awesome movie, you can tell the director and writer put a ton of work into making it perfect, and look at how kickass Amy is today!

Based on the infamous true story that caused media hysteria in the 90s, a 16 years-old girl (Barrymore) from Long Island foolishly enters into a relationship with a 35 years-old married man, Joey Buttafuoco (Tony Denison), just a few miles from Jones Beach. A year later she confronts his wife at her doorstep (Laurie Paton), shooting her in the side of the head.

"The Amy Fisher Story" was released by ABC on January 3, 1993, just 7.5 months after the shooting. The CBS version was simultaneously aired while the NBC rendition beat both by six days, airing at the end of 1992. Let's compare the three:

The NBC version, "Amy Fisher: My Story," aka "Lethal Lolita," sticks to the bare facts with Amy narrating her experience from a jail cell. While it starts off too by-the-numbers, it becomes compelling in the second half with an outstanding depiction of the front door confrontation between Amy and Mary Jo. It features actors who most resemble their real-life counterparts. Moreover, arrogant Joey's reasoning to justify his unfaithful actions are superbly presented.

The CBS interpretation, "Casualties of Love: The Long Island Lolita Story," features Alyssa Milano in the role of Amy, but supports the Buttafuoco fiction that Joey never had sex with her, which he later admitted was false in light of the glaring evidence (e.g. Motel receipts). As such, "Casualties of Love" depicts Joe as an irresistible stud who's curiously stalked by an attractive girl that imagined their relationship, resulting in the shooting of Mary Jo.

This version by ABC has the star power of Drew Barrymore in the title role, only 17 years-old during filming. It's based on the chronicling of New York Post writer Amy Pagnozzi (Harley Jane Kozak).

Like "Amy Fisher: My Story," aka "Lethal Lolita," I didn't get the feeling that this version was unbalanced. Fisher's flaws and foolishness are plainly revealed. A semi-abusive relationship with her father and sexual abuse by an unnamed relative are hinted at as reasons for why she made such bad decisions.

No matter how you slice it, the near fatal shooting that scarred Mary Jo for life, split up two marriages and shattered two families by putting them through hell on earth can be traced to egotistical Joey's unwise seduction of an underaged girl and ongoing sexual relationship.

This version starts as a compelling coming-age-drama due to Drew's charisma & beauty and reveals more details about Amy's situation before meeting Joey. Unfortunately, it bogs down into mechanical storytelling by the second half with a way less effective depiction of the critical confrontation between Amy and Mary jo compared to "Amy Fisher: My Story," aka "Lethal Lolita." The latter movie is the exact opposite: It starts weak but ends strong.

If you're interested in the story and don't mind television productions, it's best to view both versions since each have their strengths & weaknesses. Disregard the more fictional version with Alyssa Milano unless, of course, you're an uber-fan of Ms. Milano.

The film runs 1 hours, 36 minutes, and was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia.

GRADE: C+

"The Amy Fisher Story" is a 1993 American television film directed by Andy Tennant with Drew Barrymore in the lead role of the teenager Amy Fisher, who had an affair with the mechanic Joey Buttafuoco (Tony Denison) in Long Island. She has a crush on Joey and decides to kill his wife, shooting Mary Jo Buttafuoco (Laurie Paton). The well-known story was released in Brazil in VHS, but the screenplay is confused. For example, the prostitution of Amy Fisher is slightly shown in the movie and is not clear that Joey Buttafuoco suggested her to prostitute to get money. Amy Fisher is depicted as a spoiled and promiscuous teenager. Drew Barrymore is the only thing worthwhile watching in this forgettable film. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "Amy Fisher, a Ninfeta Assassina" ("Amy Fisher, The Killer Nymphet")

One of three network TV adaptations of the notorious true-crime story, 'The Amy Fisher Story' shows what happens as the title character seals her fate. Amy, dubbed the "Long Island Lolita" by the press, was a rebellious, surly teenager who, upon meeting the family mechanic, Joey Buttafuoco (Anthony John Denison, 'Crime Story'), soon began a sexual affair with him. His attitude towards her cools, but she remains obsessed with him, to the point where she attempts to get his wife Mary Jo (Laurie Paton, 'The Commish') out of the way by shooting her in the head.

The news media comes in for a real drubbing as this sort of sensationalizing of true-crime stories became especially prevalent in the 1990s. This was an era where criminals could sell their stories to interested parties, and attempt to profit from what they'd done. To be sure, Amy as portrayed here by Drew Barrymore, does come off as a patently unlikable character: a spoiled brat who stops at nothing to get what she wants, and shows no genuine remorse for the events that transpire. Joey comes off as pretty sleazy himself, as this version suggests that *he* pushed her into prostitution as a means of coming up with the funds to pay for repairs after her repeated car accidents.

All in all, this is passably engrossing, sordid stuff that tries to relate events from a few perspectives, and not paint *all* of the characters in purely black & white terms. It holds a kind of "car wreck" variety of fascination as we witness human weakness (Amy's parents are portrayed as highly ineffective) and selfishness at its worst. Not that the film is all that effective; the script can be muddled. But this is still worth seeing for some good performances, especially from a very poised and confident Drew.

Co-starring Harley Jane Kozak ("Arachnophobia") as a reporter, Ken Pogue ("The 6th Day") and Linda Darlow ("The Accused") as Amy's parents, and Tom Mason ("F/X 2") as Amy's attorney. Directed by Andy Tennant, who five years later directed Drew in the feature film "EverAfter".

Six out of 10.

Amy Fisher had her fifteen minutes of fame as the "Long Island Lolita" who shot her lover's wife. So lurid a tale was this, that all three major networks rushed a television movie into production. Two of the movies even aired on the same night. Of the three movies, this is the finest.

Drew Barrymore, after her memorable roles as a child actor, but before her recent string of movies as an angel of purity, excelled at sluttiness. And sluttiness is the key attribute necessary to portray Ms. Fisher.

The story sticks close to the headlines, is enjoyably lurid and Drew Barrymore is excellent.

I recommend this movie to all fans of Drew Barrymore and to anyone wanting to see an enjoyable dramatization of Long Island's most infamous affair.