The Fisher King

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2:15

The Fisher King

R

Released Sep 20, 1991

2h 12m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

65 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

After shock jock Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) inadvertently provokes a caller into murdering a group of innocent people in a Manhattan bar, he grows depressed and turns to booze. As he's about to hit rock bottom, Lucas meets a homeless man named Parry (Robin Williams), whose wife was killed by the caller Lucas pushed to the brink. Mentally scarred by his loss, Parry spends his days searching for the Holy Grail. Lucas, feeling culpable for the poor man's plight, pledges to help him in his quest.

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Critics Consensus

An odd but affecting mixture of drama, comedy and fantasy, The Fisher King manages to balance moving performances from Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges with director Terry Gilliam's typically askew universe.

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Jay Scott

Globe and Mail

It's a tenderly optimistic yet unsentimental tall tale, a Hollywood film in the best sense of the term.

Dec 7, 2022

Full Review

Kate Muir

Times (UK)

The search for the Holy Grail reaches peak insanity in this wild, redemptive ride through two men's interconnected lives.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 15, 2017

Full Review

Noel Murray

The Dissolve

Gilliam exaggerates the romanticism, the grotesquerie, and the personal pain that runs through LaGravenese's story, creating a reality where the more preposterous turns make sense.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 22, 2015

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Not everyone in the world will be susceptible enough to fall under its surreal magic, but I've seen it three times, and each time I like it even more. [Full review in Spanish]

Jul 27, 2023

Full Review

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

weaves a uniquely intriguing web, balancing emotional realism with highly stylized artifice in a way that Gilliam has been largely unable to reproduce since

Rated: 3.5/4

Jun 19, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

There are two terrific performances in The Fisher King, and neither belong to Robin Williams.

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 16, 2023

Full Review

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mad l

Robin Williams finest work as well as Jeff Bridges, this is a masterpiece film and so powerful to watch. A perfected blend of drama and comedy, with a pinch of wacky ~ a Monty Python twist for the soul. Mercedes Ruehl was red hot, just a steamy performance ~ well worthy of the Oscar she won. Amanda Plummer is utterly charming and again, my absolute favorite performance of hers. A rich and amazing film, 5/5, e a s i l y.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/03/25

Full Review

David R

7.5/10? Wtf! Robin Williams in his best dramatic performance, Mercedes slaying the told and bridges coming up a distant third but still great. If you don’t have this on your top ten list you aren’t a film aficionado!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/05/24

Full Review

Colin M

A radio presenter who provocatively causes the death of a man's wife tries to make amends.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/10/24

Full Review

Amanda L

Somehow I found myself identifying, at turns, with all four of the main characters. It’s just that deep.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/21/24

Full Review

Darren C

Comfortably my favourite movie of all time, it is worth watching just for the dance sequence in Grand Central Station which has to be one of the greatest scenes both visually and emotionally ever made. In essence we have a story of supreme self centred arrogance, tragedy, guilt, pity, love and (possibly) redemption, not necessarily in that order. The characters are all vividly painted, you are immersed in to the world of these individuals who have been thrown together through circumstance. It can be a difficult watch at times but there are rewards to be had in allowing yourself to accept these people and their seemingly crazy existence. Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges are excellent but the true star in my eyes is Mercedes Ruehl. Her performance gives the real heart to the story and she deservedly won an Oscar for the role. Take a bow Mr Terry Gilliam, your madness has never made so much sense.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/04/24

Full Review

Bahad j

I felt like the characters in this movie could feel the happiness and difficulties that they faced in real life.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/29/24

Full Review

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Terry Gilliam

Director

Robin Williams

Henry Sagan, 'Parry'

Jeff Bridges

Jack Lucas

Amanda Plummer

Lydia

Mercedes Ruehl

Anne Napolitano

Michael Jeter

Homeless cabaret singer

The Fisher King: Official Clip - Storming the Castle

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The Fisher King: Official Clip - The Greatest Thing Since Spice Racks

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The Fisher King: Official Clip - What Did I Get?

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The Fisher King: Official Clip - Made for Each Other

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The Fisher King: Official Clip - Men, Women, God and the Devil

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The Fisher King: Official Clip - The Red Knight

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The Fisher King: Official Clip - A Moral Traffic Light

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The Fisher King: Official Clip - The Janitor of God

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Synopsis

After shock jock Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) inadvertently provokes a caller into murdering a group of innocent people in a Manhattan bar, he grows depressed and turns to booze. As he's about to hit rock bottom, Lucas meets a homeless man named Parry (Robin Williams), whose wife was killed by the caller Lucas pushed to the brink. Mentally scarred by his loss, Parry spends his days searching for the Holy Grail. Lucas, feeling culpable for the poor man's plight, pledges to help him in his quest.

Director: Terry Gilliam
Producer: Debra Hill, Lynda Obst
Screenwriter: Richard LaGravenese
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 20, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 17, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $39.4M
Runtime: 2h 12m
Sound Mix: Surround

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