Terry is a suicidal voyeur who treats a dying addict to a final binge, but Terry will only do this if he promises to kill him.Terry is a suicidal voyeur who treats a dying addict to a final binge, but Terry will only do this if he promises to kill him.Terry is a suicidal voyeur who treats a dying addict to a final binge, but Terry will only do this if he promises to kill him.
Featured reviews
Dream With The Fishes accomplishes what so many small independent films fail to do: it adheres to the reliable simplicity of storyline and character without getting bogged down in gimmickry or its own cleverness.
The casting and performances are perfect - it's a shame that David Arquette has disappeared into his wife's shadow - his performance as self-loathing/suicidal Terry is the perfect foil for Brad Hunt's desperate and free-spirited Nick. Both actors are brilliant in this film yet they've both remained relatively obscure in the years since it's release.
Perhaps Finn Taylor's direction has a lot to do with it. Aside from the performances he wrangles from his actors, Dream With The Fishes is also beautifully filmed, from the shots and camera angles to the lighting and even film stock he chooses for different moments to highlight shifts in character and story.
Add to this a haunting soundtrack (which I can thank for my introduction to Nick Drake) and you have a charming, heart-breaking, inspiring ride that serves both as an entertaining couple of hours viewing and a fine example for aspiring filmmakers.
The casting and performances are perfect - it's a shame that David Arquette has disappeared into his wife's shadow - his performance as self-loathing/suicidal Terry is the perfect foil for Brad Hunt's desperate and free-spirited Nick. Both actors are brilliant in this film yet they've both remained relatively obscure in the years since it's release.
Perhaps Finn Taylor's direction has a lot to do with it. Aside from the performances he wrangles from his actors, Dream With The Fishes is also beautifully filmed, from the shots and camera angles to the lighting and even film stock he chooses for different moments to highlight shifts in character and story.
Add to this a haunting soundtrack (which I can thank for my introduction to Nick Drake) and you have a charming, heart-breaking, inspiring ride that serves both as an entertaining couple of hours viewing and a fine example for aspiring filmmakers.
....Which really isn't saying much, I suppose. But in this film, he actually ACTS, instead of his usual mugging. The premise of this movie intrigued me--a suicidal guy makes a strange pact with a terminally ill guy--and the first half is bizarre and wonderful. In the end, it got to be a bit drawn-out, and the marriage by the bedside was a little too contrived for my taste. But I wondered what happened to Cathy Moriarty and the girl from Rich in Love (the one with the black hair); they must be pretty picky as they don't get many roles. This film was unique enough to hold my attention and those who liked Buffalo 66 will probably eat it up. Another strange performance from character actor J.E. Freeman to boot.
I hope you are all as tired as I am of seeing the same repetition of trite films that we are bombarded with. Your local blockbuster new release wall is a shrine full of such poor excuses for film making. When you have a medium so rich and so full of posibilites it is sad to have to suffer through such recycled garbage or non stop toilet humor. This film does neither. This is a movie that for a change explores something that should be meaningful to all of us, life. It does not do it in a cynical and overly oh I am trying to be clever way like The Last Supper. Rather this film has a philosophy and does not cop out like say City of Angels where Nicholas Cage decides who cares if God doesn't care as long as I can go swimming naked. Sure the actors are not the best but then Top Flight actors do not play peeping Tom perverts or dying hill billies for the most part. What you do get is a good story that is worth your while. It is listed as a comedy but film's like this defy genre because it is a story. It is a story with its own points and messages that is not carefully placed into a three act dramatic structure. Go watch October Sky if you want heart warming.
Surprisingly, this was a great movie. I didn't think I'd like it, but I loved it. It has its weird moments, but generally, it was good. Brad Hunt as Nick was incredible (not to mention hot!). Who the hell is Brad Hunt? I've never even heard of him until now. This movie makes me want to check out his other movies. He's a great actor. David Arquette was great as usual. Nick (Brad Hunt) and Terry (David Arquette) make such a unique friendship. That's what draws me to this movie. Their friendship is really cool. They turn into best friends. That was great. There are many unexpecting things that happen. I don't wanna ruin the end, but lets just say its a tearjerker. Definitely worth watching.
It's a strange little movie, continually shifting focus, at the end perhaps not amounting to much more than a whimsical playing with odd offbeat lives, but generally quite appealing: some of the ideas - like that of a general malaise trying to elevate itself by identification with a specific loss - are particularly intriguing. The evocative title sums up the generally lilting approach toward dreams and fantasies and self-definitions, although the movie as a whole is in many ways oriented more towards grunginess and weirdness, almost verging on exploitation at times. A major reservation must attach to the marginality of the women - Erbe has some very striking moments, but her agenda and feelings aren't explored much. On the whole, not distinctive enough to stick around particularly in one's memory.
Did you know
- Quotes
Aunt Elise: Guys, you've got to use the coasters, else we're no better than the animals.
- Crazy creditsNo dreams or fishes were harmed in the making of this movie.
- SoundtracksEl Diablo En El Ojos
Written and Performed by Tindersticks, Stuart Staples
Used by permission of Polygram Music
Courtesy of London Records/Polygram Records
- How long is Dream with the Fishes?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Dream with the Fishes
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $543,708
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $31,777
- Jun 22, 1997
- Gross worldwide
- $543,708
- Runtime
- 1h 37m(97 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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