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Passion Fish

Play trailer Poster for Passion Fish R Released Dec 11, 1992 2h 14m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 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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Passion Fish

Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times This is a tough, muscular story about a headstrong woman who wants things to go her way. Rated: 4/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Rated: 4/5 Jan 30, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 Full Review Stephen C 2 hours and 14 minutes of drama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $2,400,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/26/25 Full Review VFI P Beautiful story and cinematography with a fantastic cast! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/12/25 Full Review John H Two great performances. Unique story too Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/06/24 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews
Passion Fish

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Cast & Crew

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John Sayles

Director

Mary McDonnell

May-Alice Culhane

Alfre Woodard

Chantelle

David Strathairn

Rennie

Vondie Curtis-Hall

Sugar LeDoux

Nora Dunn

Ti-Marie

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Passion Fish

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Movie Info

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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