Passion Fish

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Passion Fish

R

Released Dec 11, 1992

2h 14m

Drama

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100%

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26 Reviews

83%

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2,500+ Ratings

After soap opera actress May-Alice Culhane (Mary McDonnell) has a car accident, she is paralyzed and forced into a wheelchair. She retreats to her family's vacant home in Louisiana and indulges in alcohol and self-pity. When nursing aides come to help, May-Alice unleashes her anger, prompting each to quit. Chantelle (Alfre Woodard), a nurse who desperately needs the job, arrives determined to change May-Alice's outlook. As the two women become friends, they help each other cope with challenges.

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Edward Guthmann

San Francisco Chronicle

Set In Louisiana bayou country, John Sayles' new character drama -- his best by far -- stars Mary McDonnell as a soap-opera actress who returns to her childhood home after a paralyzing accident.

Rated: 4/4

Jan 11, 2023

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Alyx Vesey

Bitch Media

I hope that films that share Passion Fish's politics continue to be made and improved upon. I just hope more directors of color, and female directors of color in particular, get to make them.

Jan 9, 2021

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B

Sep 7, 2011

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Malcolm Johnson

Hartford Courant

Passion Fish drifts slowly by, like the turgid waters of Louisiana's bayous. Yet with his novelist's eye and story sense, and two brilliantly paired actresses, John Sayles pulls us ever deeper into the lives of a bitter paraplegic actress and her nurse.

May 29, 2018

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

A tightly-focused narrative about interior struggles and unexpected changes, the film is a cynical anti-Reagan story about monetary success and class distinctions, a political fable about female survivors.

Rated: A-

Oct 8, 2006

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 4/5

Jan 30, 2006

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Alain E

Soap operatic plot about a soap opera star left paraplegic, angry with a bottle of chardonnay as a constant companion. After several false starts she hires as an aide a nurse who is a recovering drug addict and learns to accept help. Overall the movie avoids melodramatic excesses. It takes place in Louisiana so it includes zydeco and alligators.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/20/25

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Stephen C

2 hours and 14 minutes of drama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/20/25

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VFI P

Beautiful story and cinematography with a fantastic cast!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/12/25

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John H

Two great performances. Unique story too

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/06/24

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AB L

Given the premise, the movie is remarkably unsentimental while still managing to be deeply moving. The reason is that Sayles understands the appeal of these kinds of dramas while always grounding the screenplay in realistic uncertainty. McDonnell and Woodard are truly fantastic in this.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/31/23

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tom w

What a fantastic movie. The interplay between Alfre Woodard & Mary McDonnell was exciting to watch. For me the characters were pitch perfect. I really enjoyed the support cast as well, especially the scene with Angela Bassett. Vondie & David Strathairn played great roles & could have been developed further, but the movie was already over two hours long.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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John Sayles

Director

Mary McDonnell

May-Alice Culhane

Alfre Woodard

Chantelle

David Strathairn

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Synopsis

After soap opera actress May-Alice Culhane (Mary McDonnell) has a car accident, she is paralyzed and forced into a wheelchair. She retreats to her family's vacant home in Louisiana and indulges in alcohol and self-pity. When nursing aides come to help, May-Alice unleashes her anger, prompting each to quit. Chantelle (Alfre Woodard), a nurse who desperately needs the job, arrives determined to change May-Alice's outlook. As the two women become friends, they help each other cope with challenges.

Director: John Sayles
Producer: Sarah Green, Maggie Renzi
Screenwriter: John Sayles
Distributor: Films Number One
Production Co: Miramax
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 11, 1992, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 10, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.4M
Runtime: 2h 14m
Sound Mix: Surround

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