Contrary opinions can bitter moods in probably the most wayward style. The Marvel Industrial Complex is an effective goal for stirring hormonal angst, however if you wish to offend the broadest doable demographic, then criticize Robin Williams — not the person however his frenetic, saccharine model of comedy that gave him “national treasure” standing. Thankfully, “The Fisher King” manages to dilute most of Williams’s excesses, and it does so with a bizarre stir-fry of humor, fantasy, romance, and disturbing tragedy.
It begins with Jack Lucas (Bridges) speaking trash on his radio present, à la Howard Stern. He mocks quite a few callers, together with a weak man named Edwin, who thinks he struck it fortunate with a lovely girl in an elegant bar. Lucas shoots his story down and rails towards the girl and the yuppies supposedly like her, attacking them in a ranting, polemical model. He will get just a few good soundbites in there. So good, in actual fact, that Jack evokes Edwin to return to the bar and open hearth, killing seven individuals. This destroys Jack’s world, and three years later, he lives above a video retailer along with his fiery however doting girlfriend, Anne (Mercedes Ruehl).
Dejected and cynical, Jack finds new objective when he meets Parry, an eccentric homeless man whom Williams performs as a male equal to the chicken girl in “Home Alone 2.” It’s unbelievable and manipulative, however screenwriter Richard LaGravenese manages to floor his livewire story with frank, trustworthy dialogue about human interpersonality. The performances are nice, too, particularly from Ruehl, who goes from brash to tender with scene-stealing nuance.