Fried Green Tomatoes

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Fried Green Tomatoes

PG-13

Released Dec 27, 1991

2h 10m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

76%

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46 Reviews

87%

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100,000+ Ratings

On one of trapped housewife Evelyn Couch's (Kathy Bates) Wednesday nursing home visits, she encounters Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy), a colorful old woman who brightens Evelyn's outlook by sharing tales from her past. As Ninny recounts the exploits of her free-spirited sister-in-law Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson), owner of a small Alabama café in the 1920s, and the bond Idgie shared with her friend Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker), Evelyn gains the confidence to change her own life for the better.

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Critics Consensus

Fried Green Tomatoes' tearjerking drama is undeniably manipulative, but in the hands of a skilled cast that includes Jessica Tandy and Kathy Bates, it's also powerfully effective.

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Hugo Davenport

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Do not be deterred by the indigestible title nor, if feministically inclined, by the fact that it is directed by mere man Jon Avnet. It is funny, cleverly constructed, often rather moving, and only occasionally allows sentiment to slop over the bucket.

May 20, 2022

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Michael Sragow

The New Yorker

[A] clunky, fraudulent, yet apparently crowd-pleasing laugh-and-tear-jerker.

Jun 2, 2014

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John Hartl

Seattle Times

When a group of actors this gifted and lively tries so good-naturedly to deliver such an obvious message, the audience is left in the position of trying to stop a tidal wave. You may hate yourself for responding, but you're smothered before you know it.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 2, 2014

Full Review

Malinda Lo

AfterEllen.com

Fried Green Tomatoes is iconic in its presentation of love across the years, across generations and across boundaries. It’s a tamed but still powerful love story -- and a lesbian classic, if only in subtext.

May 6, 2024

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Rex Sterling

Alabama Forum

A compelling and enjoyable movie.

May 4, 2023

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Maria Vetrano

Gay Community News (Boston)

The final and most important question is, is Fried Green Tomatoes worth all the compromise or will you leave the theater forlorn and bleary eyed? Not to worry... it will leave you with that warm, gummy feeling you get when Bette Midler sings a lullabye.

May 17, 2022

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Tom and Pat Hardy

A great movie about the South and Southern people. Some of the funniest lines in any movie, and some of the most heart-breaking scenes..

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/14/23

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Jake S.

One of a kind. Instant Classic. Jessica Tandy is my hero. She talks better than almost any female actor of all time. The story from start to finish had myself glued to my tv.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/03/25

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Sara C

This movie is infuriating to me because its great potential is wasted. While Mary-Louise Parker has enough lesbian dynamism to take any movie to the next level, Mary Stuart Masterson was not a good match. I felt this heat coming off Parker and dropping like 30 degrees at the other end. I couldn’t believe Masterson as a tomboy or a strong lover, and combined with the awful Southern accent, the onscreen chemistry was DOA. But this miss on one character’s casting could’ve been overcome if the filmmakers had had enough balls to add some sexuality to the film. It didn’t need to be graphic but to omit it entirely was more than just a commercial cop-out. It’s an artistic collapse of the worst kind. The filmmakers denied the story’s true life and in doing so, it lost its creative integrity. Despite being hollow at its core, FGT is enjoyable to watch and has great actors. As my straight friend insists, it’s about two women who are great friends. Right, it is but it could’ve been so much more.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/30/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, a história é fraca, os personagens sao fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes para fazer o filme ser bom.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/09/25

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Ashleigh L

I adore this movie so much. Watched it with my sister over and over growing up and watched it with my daughter and she loved it also. So great!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/03/25

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Alan D

Fannie Flagg wrote a best selling book that made a classic movie. It can be seen over and over. A masterpiece of story telling. A classic that will endure generations!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/02/25

Full Review

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Jon Avnet

Director

Kathy Bates

Evelyn Couch

Jessica Tandy

Ninny Threadgoode

Mary Stuart Masterson

Idgie Threadgoode

Mary-Louise Parker

Ruth Jamison

Nick Searcy

Frank Bennett

Fried Green Tomatoes: Official Clip - Taking the Stand

2:43

Fried Green Tomatoes: Official Clip - The Best Birthday

2:07

Fried Green Tomatoes: Official Clip - A Lady Always Knows When to Leave

2:57

Fried Green Tomatoes: Official Clip - Evelyn the Destroyer

1:07

Fried Green Tomatoes: Official Clip - The Spark Back in Marriage

1:34

Fried Green Tomatoes: Official Clip - Ruth Leaves Frank

2:55

Fried Green Tomatoes: Official Clip - Buddy's Accident

3:00

Fried Green Tomatoes: Official Clip - Frank Intrudes on Ruth

1:25

Fried Green Tomatoes: Official Clip - Food Fight

2:08

Fried Green Tomatoes: Official Clip - Parking Lot Rage

2:04

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Synopsis

On one of trapped housewife Evelyn Couch's (Kathy Bates) Wednesday nursing home visits, she encounters Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy), a colorful old woman who brightens Evelyn's outlook by sharing tales from her past. As Ninny recounts the exploits of her free-spirited sister-in-law Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson), owner of a small Alabama café in the 1920s, and the bond Idgie shared with her friend Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker), Evelyn gains the confidence to change her own life for the better.

Director: Jon Avnet
Producer: Jon Avnet, Jordan Kerner
Screenwriter: Fannie Flagg, Carol Sobieski
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Fried Green Tomatoes Productions, Universal Pictures, Avnet/Kerner Productions, Act III Communications, Electric Shadow Productions
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 27, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $81.2M
Runtime: 2h 10m
Sound Mix: Surround

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