The Fisher King (Terry Gilliam, 1991)

Back in 1991, after a decade of science fiction films such as The Adventures of Baron Manchusen, Brazil and Time Bandits, Terry Gilliam decided to try a smaller budgeted, more character-driven story called The Fisher King. He intended to film it directly from the script, without alteration, so as to avoid it becoming “a Terry Gilliam film.” He failed… but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In spite of it being the first screenplay Gilliam had no hand in writing, The Fisher King is still very much “a Terry Gilliam film.” His flourishes are all over the place. The fantastical elements, the portrayal of the Red Knight, his world of extreme close-ups and distorted viewpoints, even the search for the Holy Grail recalls his Monty Python days. The story itself is a cross between King Arthur, 90’s shock jocks, tragedy and insanity. Definite earmarks of Gilliam’s work, both prior to Fisher King and yet to come. Jeff Bridges stars as Jack Lucas, a controversial radio DJ who spirals into a deep depression after one of his more outrageous claims drives a man to commit mass murder. Lucas may be lonely, pathetic and suicidal for most of the film… but no one makes being a loser look cooler than Jeff Bridges. He spends most of his days moping around drowning himself in liquor, until the time he decides better of it and decides to drown himself in the river instead. It’s at this time he’s attacked by two teenage hellions and is rescued by a crazy man named Parry (Robin Williams, naturally), who was driven to insanity after the death of his wife by – you guessed it – Lucas’ mass murderer. It’s an odd film to be sure (aren’t all of Gilliam’s films?) but it’s also a unique redemption story with a good sense of humor. Hearing Lucas’ banter around with Parry’s insanity is hilarious. For instance, when Williams asks Bridges what the ‘little people’ are telling him, Jack mocks him with a patronizing, “They're saying, ‘Jack, go to the liquor store and findeth the Jack of Daniels so that ye may be shitfaced!’" Also, there is a split reality vs. otherworldly sense to The Fisher King, yet another Gilliam trademark, as it tries to mix the Arthurian legend with 1990’s New York. All in all the film is wonderfully acted and Gilliam’s more fantastic displays are always visually arresting, but the film still feels more comfortable in its real world settings, letting Bridges’ dejected charmer guide us. It’s reminiscent of the petty problems I run into with a lot of Gilliam’s films, their lack of human emotion (It’s hard to get completely invested when the third act revolves around a ludicrous return of the teenage hellions). Still, the character interaction is very well done and makes you believe that Gilliam, maybe shockingly, is comfy in drama.