The Fisher King is an interesting tale of friendship, love and salvation. Jeff Bridges stars as Jack Lucas, a once on top of the world radio disc jockey turn alcoholic. Robin Williams also stars as Parry, a once college teacher turn street bum. The two are linked because of a tragedy. A tragedy for which Jack feels responsible. Parry's wife was killed by a crazed caller on a shooting spree. The killings was triggered by some offhanded remarks he made to a caller to his radio show. This event changed both of their lives for good.
The two meet by accident, but are already connected by fate, even though they don't know it yet, at this point. Jack has hit rock bottom and is ready to commit suicide. He is saved by, of all people, and on the verge of craziness, Parry. Parry now believes he is knight on a quest for the holy grail. And Jack is the chosen one. The one chosen, in Parry's mind, to get this grail. Jack, of course, wants nothing to do with this, but as the movie progresses he slowly changes his mind.
One of the most intense, wonderful, whacky scenes in the movie is when Parry takes Jack to Central Park. It is here we hear Parry telling Jack the story of The Fisher King. It is the first time we see Parry as not a nut, but a very intelligent teacher. And the look on Jack's face while Parry tells the story also adds to the intensity of the scene. In the story as he tells, there are 2 characters that parallel them. One is the Prince who was "sick with experience," that would be Jack. And the other character is the fool, who saves the Prince, by giving him what he needs. And this would be Parry. This is a great scene and we learn a lot about both of them here.
Jack's girlfriend, Anne, played by Mercedes Rheul and Parry's dream girl, Lydia, played by Amanda Plummer are both brilliant in their roles. Whether they are in scenes with Jack and Parry or together they are wonderful and real. Jack decides he wants to help Parry get his girl, Lydia. He believes that by helping Parry, he will make things change for him. And he is right. From this moment on things change for all of them. But, it is not easy. Parry can't fully get his girl and Jack can't move on with his life until they both face the tragedy in their past. The Red Knight follows Parry where ever he goes, while guilt follows Jack. The Red Knight is visible only to Parry but it chases him through out the film. This symbolizes all the issues Parry needs to deal with regarding his wife's death. Jack's guilt isn't seen the way Parry's is, but it's there. Jack has to get over feeling responsible for the people that died by his remarks on the radio. Watching them do this is the main part of the film.
The screen play for The Fisher King is well written by Richard LaGravenese. What he does here is make the dialogue sound like the way real people talk. It is so believable and fresh.Terry Gilliam directs this love story with a fantasy angle. There is so much to appreciate in this film, the love, the friendships, the symbolism. It is a truly wonderful, but complicated movie that needs to be viewed more than once to get in and grasp everything it offers.
The two meet by accident, but are already connected by fate, even though they don't know it yet, at this point. Jack has hit rock bottom and is ready to commit suicide. He is saved by, of all people, and on the verge of craziness, Parry. Parry now believes he is knight on a quest for the holy grail. And Jack is the chosen one. The one chosen, in Parry's mind, to get this grail. Jack, of course, wants nothing to do with this, but as the movie progresses he slowly changes his mind.
One of the most intense, wonderful, whacky scenes in the movie is when Parry takes Jack to Central Park. It is here we hear Parry telling Jack the story of The Fisher King. It is the first time we see Parry as not a nut, but a very intelligent teacher. And the look on Jack's face while Parry tells the story also adds to the intensity of the scene. In the story as he tells, there are 2 characters that parallel them. One is the Prince who was "sick with experience," that would be Jack. And the other character is the fool, who saves the Prince, by giving him what he needs. And this would be Parry. This is a great scene and we learn a lot about both of them here.
Jack's girlfriend, Anne, played by Mercedes Rheul and Parry's dream girl, Lydia, played by Amanda Plummer are both brilliant in their roles. Whether they are in scenes with Jack and Parry or together they are wonderful and real. Jack decides he wants to help Parry get his girl, Lydia. He believes that by helping Parry, he will make things change for him. And he is right. From this moment on things change for all of them. But, it is not easy. Parry can't fully get his girl and Jack can't move on with his life until they both face the tragedy in their past. The Red Knight follows Parry where ever he goes, while guilt follows Jack. The Red Knight is visible only to Parry but it chases him through out the film. This symbolizes all the issues Parry needs to deal with regarding his wife's death. Jack's guilt isn't seen the way Parry's is, but it's there. Jack has to get over feeling responsible for the people that died by his remarks on the radio. Watching them do this is the main part of the film.
The screen play for The Fisher King is well written by Richard LaGravenese. What he does here is make the dialogue sound like the way real people talk. It is so believable and fresh.Terry Gilliam directs this love story with a fantasy angle. There is so much to appreciate in this film, the love, the friendships, the symbolism. It is a truly wonderful, but complicated movie that needs to be viewed more than once to get in and grasp everything it offers.
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