The Fisher King (1991)

Cinema Sweetheart's Rating: 9 out of 10
Director: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Mercedes Ruehl
Rated: R
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Runtime: 137 minutes

Jack (Bridges) finds his life spiraling out of control after a sarcastic comment he makes on his radio program leads a man to pull off a mass shooting in a local bar. After Jack hits rock bottom, he finds a savior in Parry (Williams), a crazy homeless man who believes in a world of knights, quests, and the Holy Grail. Unknown to Jack, his new friend is actually one of the victims of Jack's thoughtless comment.

I initially picked up this film for two reasons. One, it was starring Robin Williams, and I honestly think that guy is amazing. I could rant on and on about Robin Williams, but I don't think I'll bother you all with that right now. Two, it was about a homeless man who believed in knights, dragons, and the Holy Grail. I've been in love with Arthurian literature since my seventh grade English class where I first read about the adventures of Arthur, Gawain, Percival, and Lancelot. Seeing that both these wonderful components were in the same film was simply tantalizing, and I had to check it out.

I once heard somewhere (and for the life of me, I can’t remember if it was in a movie, YouTube video, or somewhere else entirely) that you know it’s going to be a serious film when Robin Williams has a beard. And, I guess you can say that The Fisher King falls into that category. However, it’s not all sad and serious. There are quite a few rather funny moments, such as when Robin Williams strips off all his clothes and goes running naked through Hyde Park. The serious bits are well choreographed, though, and you can really feel all the pain and the emotion in each of the characters.

I think one of the best things about this film is just how many interesting characters you have. There’s Robin Williams as Parry, the delusional homeless man who believes he must retrieve the Holy Grail from the mansion of a local architect on the Upper West Side. Jack is beaten down, cynical, and depressed, but still shows that spark of humanity that brings him to reach out to Parry, even though all his life, he’s been selfish and unsympathetic. Anne (Ruehl) is Jack’s girlfriend, the tough as nails video rental shop owner with a soft spot she tries so desperately to hide. And don’t forget two of the most interesting characters: Lydia (Amanda Plummer), the offbeat object of Parry’s affections, and “Venice” (can’t find who played him) the emotional, colorful homeless man Jack and Parry meet during their time together.

This is a powerful, gripping movie; alternating comedy and serious drama with relative ease. If you’ve seen some of Robin William’s other films, such as Jakob the Liar (1999), you’ll understand what I mean. All in all, it was a wonderful viewing experience, and provided a good evening’s entertainment. While I won’t go so far as to say it was my favorite movie, I will say that not only does it grab and hold your attention, but it really makes you think. Our actions don’t just affect us. They have consequences that reach out farther than we may realize. And even though we make mistakes, we can still have a chance at redemption. It may not make everything right and normal again (some things simply cannot be undone), but we still have a chance at forgiveness. Also, it shows that you can’t just judge someone because of who they are or what they’re like. Sometimes, we become the way we are because of things that have happened to us; things that are completely beyond our control. Yeah, this movie carries a couple pretty heavy messages, but it does so in such a way that it’s not too much to take in all at once. It's touching, emotional, funny, romantic, all rolled into one.

This is a perfect film for anyone who enjoys Robin William’s drama/comedies, is interested in the Arthurian legends, or wants a movie with a feel-good ending.

Jakob the Liar (1999)

Cinema Sweetheart's Rating: 8 out of 10

Director: Peter Kassovitz

Starring: Robin Williams, Hannah Taylor-Gordon, Alan Arkin

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Drama, War, Comedy

Runtime: 120 minutes

During the Nazi occupation in Poland, Jewish restaurant owner Jakob Heym (Williams), is caught out after dark by one of the German soldiers, and even though he is not violating curfew, is sent to the headquarters just outside the ghetto to receive his punishment.  While there, he overhears a message on the radio that the Russian troops are nearby, meaning that the Jews in Poland could be liberated from their current state of oppression.  On his way home, he is found by 10 year old Lina (Taylor-Gordon), who managed to escape from the train that was transporting her parents to the concentration camps.  He takes her home and hides her in his attic so the Nazis don't find out about her.  Things start to get complicated though.  After Jakob tells his friend Kowalsky (Bob Balaban) the barber about the Russians (to prevent him from killing himself), and later his friend Mischa (Liev Schreiber) (to momentarily distract him), news starts to spread around the Ghetto that Jakob has an illegal radio.  And to keep moral up, Jakob lies, creating news for his friends and neighbors.

This was a very, very good film.  Robin Williams is amazing as Jakob, bringing so much life to the character.  I like how multi-layered he is.  Jakob is not strictly a good man or a bad man, but he has all sorts of conflicts within himself that show through very strongly.  We are painted the picture of what it must have been like for a man living in the ghetto, having lost his wife, saddled with an unexpected child, and now, trying to keep the people happy without the Nazis catching word of his "radio" which would lead to his imprisonment and death.  There is just the right amount of fear and duty in the character; even though he is afraid of the Nazis, he's willing to help his friends and neighbors stay positive through his lies.

Its hard to make a WWII drama that has lighter, comedic bits, because of the heavy subject matter.  However, Jakob the Liar manages to bring some humor to its presentation, especially in the interactions of Jakob and Lina, and Mischa, the former boxer he once managed.

Despite the humorous aspects, this movie can also be very sad.  The ending in particular left me with mixed feelings, but overall, I enjoyed the film.  If you have an interest in war drama or WWII in general, then this is a film you would probably like.