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%

Tomatometer

46 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

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

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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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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

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Larry L

One of the all time greatest movies Ever. Michael Sargow must a be a bad reviewer or he wasn't paid to like it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/25

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Emilio T

The key in this movie is not the story itself, but their hidden secrets (for example, the lesbic relationship that there was in the book and they did not dare to put into big screen), which made that a whole generation of under-represented collectives acquired this movie as a cult one.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/02/25

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Darin S

If you're in the mood to sit back and absorb, this is one of the great movies of the 90's. Fantastic performances and lots of heart-tugging moments, followed up with some feelings of justice and empowerment.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/15/24

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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

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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: Electric Shadow Productions, Universal Pictures, Avnet/Kerner Productions, Act III Communications, Fried Green Tomatoes 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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