The Fisher King

R

Released Sep 20, 1991

2 hr. 12 min.

Comedy

Drama

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List

85%

65 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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Blu B

One issue that holds back a lot of Gilliam's work is they get a bit too crazy and frantic with the imagination and lose touch with reality a bit too much but are still really good films. This is what happens when he slows down and just lets the characters breathe with a witty and smart script to boot. Despite the surreal and bizarre setup the characters always feel so sincere than 99% of other romance flicks. It's truly heartfelt throughout. Really the only minor issues is the regression Jack does feel a bit forced and out of place but its so well done i's uper easy to overlook it and just go with it. The music also is really good but could be a bit more catchy on its own. Otherwise this is super masterfully done. It's a romance mixed with comedy and drama with a surreal touch but never feels unrelatable or ungrounded. Everyone should try this once. All Time Classic.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/24

Full Review

Anna J

Great movie! I'll never understand why Robin Williams didn't win an Oscar. He's absolutely marvellous.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/15/23

Full Review

Tanya

I saw this movie when it first came out and I thought it deep and amazing.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/15/23

Full Review

Scott M

Just not my kind of movie. I didn't understand it from the start. A mess.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/07/23

Full Review

Box L

Originally an allegory of how humanity is waiting for its savior, "The Fisher King" is a story about a man so driven by fame and power, that he can't look past his own nose. The protagonist, Jack, is unable to consider the thoughts or feelings of others, until an un-empowered man (the Fisher King is a representation of those of us who are "castrated" and unable to produce or fend for ourselves) enters his life, giving him the opportunity of redemption. The movie is, in itself, a creative and meaningful adaptation of the mythological tale, but is very poorly scripted, often leading the viewer into frustration, annoyance, apathy and disregard. Robin Williams was an incredible talent; his mind was constantly creating in an incessant unease; possibly brought on by a feverous need for acceptance and meaning. Like for many of us, comedy was a mandatory survival tactic for Robin, but he went further, eventually thriving upon it. Sadly, "The Fisher King" fails to tread the delicate balance between drama and comedy, and understandably, since the two are incredibly different. Robin's relentless energy is misplaced and poorly directed, often presented at pivotal points of emotion or danger, instead of properly and timely at appropriate moments in the plot. Terry Gilliam fails to temper Robin's antics, shape a proper homeless lunatic, or present believable social interactions. This movie definitely did not merit award, but was still able to pull off many, including the Oscar, eventually becoming the only so honored movie in Gilliam's repertoire (how did his movie "Brazil" not get noticed?). Despite the intriguing premise and exceptional cast, "The Fisher King" is unable to rise above mediocrity, weighed down heavily by its horrendously wordy and meaningless script. Writer Richard LaGravenese either allowed the actors free reign or butchered the dialogue. Other aspects of the film are basically flawless, such as Roger Pratt's unique cinematography, as well as sound, music and editing. Depth and meaning are also presented correctly in the film. For example, the fact that Jack wears Parry's clothing in order to retrieve the grail is symbolic of his triumph of being able to walk in Parry's shoes. A massive achievement for Jack, who was unable to respect or understand others before this friendship. In conclusion, "The Fisher King" is probably a movie worth watching in the background, while doing something else.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/28/23

Full Review

Sean S

I remember seeing this movie when it came out in 1991 and liked it. I have seen it 2 or 3 times since then, and it has held up. I have always been a big fan of Terry Gilliam movies, since his Monty Python days. His movies are funny, sad, offbeat, thought provoking and hit and miss with usually unsatisfying endings. Ha. This is one of his best movies. It has several great messages, and it is in my top 100 of all time movies. I have always been a fan of those ancient King Arthur stories also, which it ties into very well with. A+++

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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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

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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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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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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
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
Sound Mix: Surround

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