winston hendern this is what I appreciate of john Sayles. Friendship is as tough as the limitations of not even being able to live without legs, let alone living with legs, let alone living without addiction. Let alone living through addiction. Friendship is rawly beautiful. Friendship is enduring ugliness until the endurance becomes beautiful. Friendship is enduring theater. "I didn't ask for the anal probe." It's the one thing I did well (which I can no longer do). So, the thing is, I appreciate mason daring's music; but it always (actually, simply too oftenly) seems so disjointed from the story; and not the good kind of disjointed (like the genius of Paul Thomas Anderson's "Magnolia"). But, then again, all in all, a sweet story: "a two foot mud snake in his mouth"). But, then again, acting in this story is a part of the art, as in: the actor is my friend. The actors are my friends: Mary, Alfre, and David. And I want Mary's beautiful dream to be true. And I'm not afraid to repeat myself for emphasis: the acting is beautifully moving.

David It's regularly noted that director John Sayles is a master at creating detailed characters; this film (like especially his earlier MATEWAN) proves his genius at capturing the oft-overlooked variety of American life: dialects, and the smallest (but most meaningful) moments of work, anger, tragedy, or sweetness. This skill was surely refined during his earlier years as a novelist, and - in maturity - makes his work (and this film in particular) far more human and gimmick-free than Amer-indie contemporaries like David Lynch or Jim Jarmusch.I first saw this when it was released, and was very impressed (it was the first Sayles film I'd seen), and after a much-belated second viewing, I'd say it's one of the great American films of the 90s. Sayles' feel for detail shows continually - the small, but continual bits of personal history revealed about all of the characters throughout; the intricacy of even incidental encounters (an afternoon of zydeco music, or the COOLEY HIGH reference that slips quickly between Angela Bassett and Alfre Woodard) is stunning. Evoking Robert Flaherty's LOUISIANA STORY, the boat-trip-to-Misere scene is particularly memorable, with well-deployed Cajun lore blending with very memorable cinematography (courtesy Roger Deakins, cinematographer for FARGO, KUNDUN, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION & SID AND NANCY, among other recent classics) to create one of the most unforgettable moments of Sayles' career.As most of the primary characters are either outsiders, or are returning after long absences, the common problem of show-biz fake accents is avoided nicely - Sayles (and Deakins) manage to capture an image of rural Louisiana that is enveloping and authentic, while never forgetting the reality that accents will vary widely even in local areas. Thus the fact that many characters refuse to lay on the drawl - even as many others in the film nail the sound of rural Louisiana perfectly - only makes PASSION FISH stronger.Overall this is a tale of growth and friendship that moves with the speed and emotions of life - none of it feels fake or forced, and though slow-to-start (another strength, though only seen as one by the film's end), PASSION FISH quietly develops into something unique and great. At every moment where this could've degenerated into movie-of-the-week sap, Sayles instead elegantly and confidently steers the film into DeSica (or Woody Guthrie and Steinbeck) territory: there's not a sour note to be seen here.

George Parker Apparently Sayles never sat around a table with a bunch of women gabbing. In "Passion Fish", which tells of a NYC soap opera actress who becomes a paraplegic and begins a long rehab in her Louisiana home town, the women at the table never talk over each other and only one talks at a time. Such histrionics are an example of the good and the bad of this very palatable, spoon fed Sayles product which strikes a nice safe middle ground on all the issues it plumbs. If good films follow the rules and great films break the rules, this flick is dead on good. Not risky fare but very well received, "Passion Fish" is one for the masses....especially the distaff. (B)

movietom-2 The kudos here go to David Strathairn (a wonderful, overlooked performer in "Matewan," "L.A. Confidential" and numerous other films). He comes the closest I've seen on film to an actual Cajun, from the accent down to details such as the white shrimp boots. When will this actor get the Oscar he deserves (as Jim Broadbent finally did this year)?