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A Fish in the Bathtub

Play trailer Poster for A Fish in the Bathtub PG-13 1999 1h 36m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Sam (Jerry Stiller) and Molly (Anne Meara) are a classic bickering old couple, and their marriage has been 40 years of sparring. Yet, when Sam refuses to move the carp he's keeping in their extra bathroom, Molly becomes fed up and unexpectedly leaves. Molly moves in with their grown son, Joel (Mark Ruffalo), and starts dating an old friend. The couple's daughter, Ruth (Jane Adams), convinces Sam to try to win his wife back and rediscover his own sense of romance.
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A Fish in the Bathtub

Critics Reviews

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Gary Goldstein Los Angeles Times A wan crisscross of romantic issues and missteps involving several of the supporting characters ineffectively pads the thin central story scripted by John Silverstein, David Chudnovsky and Joan's now-late husband, Raphael D. Silver. Nov 8, 2019 Full Review Christopher Lloyd The Film Yap A tidy little gem from Joan Micklin Silver in her last turn behind the camera of a theatrical film, with real-life couple Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara playing contentious old marrieds. Rated: 4.5/5 Feb 20, 2023 Full Review Joshua Brunsting The CriterionCast Joan Micklin Silver's underrated and rarely seen comedic gem is a gorgeously shot, emotionally rich romantic comedy with a collection of ace performances and an ace script Dec 1, 2019 Full Review David N. Butterworth rec.arts.movies.reviews A nice change of pace, with a genuine chemistry between the two leads. Rated: 3/4 Sep 10, 2015 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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helder f This movie feels like a family affair. There’s something endearing about its characters, some more likable than others. The story, if there’s one, isn’t very important. In fact, the movie has the strength of an old sitcom—the script isn’t perfect, but the characters make up for it. The story centers around a strained marriage that’s been going on for over 40 years. For a brief moment, it seems like the couple is about to break up. It’s not a movie that has aged well, though. It’s hard to find support for a relationship between two people who are so easily annoyed by each other. The ending is predictable, but that’s not a bad thing. What would be the point of choosing a different ending? Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/25 Full Review James M A Fish in the Bathtub shimmers and delights like a fast-moving piscis on a warm summers day. Jerry Stiller creates crashing waves as the crumdungeon Sam, who inexplicably returns home one day with a fish in tow. We follow in his wake as the breakdown of his marriage leads him on an epic odyssey of self-discovery. Far from Carp, "a Fish in the Bathtub" is my catch of the day. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/07/23 Full Review Audience Member Funny! I love these kinds of movies. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Jerry Stiller played his role so well that there were times I wanted to reach through the screen, shake him & ask him "What the hell's wrong with you" If they gave out an Oscar for Best A**hole in a movie, Jerry Stiller should've won.Maybe this movie was so good because it had a real life husband & wife team.When Sam & Molly were fighting, You could feel the tension in the air Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Read all reviews
A Fish in the Bathtub

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Cast & Crew

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Joan Micklin Silver

Director

Jerry Stiller

Sam

Anne Meara

Molly

Mark Ruffalo

Joel

Pamela Gray

Tracy Laughlin

Jane Adams

Ruthie
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A Fish in the Bathtub

A Fish in the Bathtub (1999) A Fish in the Bathtub (1999) A Fish in the Bathtub (1999) A Fish in the Bathtub (1999) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Sam (Jerry Stiller) and Molly (Anne Meara) are a classic bickering old couple, and their marriage has been 40 years of sparring. Yet, when Sam refuses to move the carp he's keeping in their extra bathroom, Molly becomes fed up and unexpectedly leaves. Molly moves in with their grown son, Joel (Mark Ruffalo), and starts dating an old friend. The couple's daughter, Ruth (Jane Adams), convinces Sam to try to win his wife back and rediscover his own sense of romance.
Director
Joan Micklin Silver
Producer
Charles Darby, Raphael D. Silver
Screenwriter
John Silverstein, David Chudnovsky, Raphael D. Silver
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.2K
Runtime
1h 36m
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