Little Fish
(R, 1:53:51, Released 2005)
| Genres: | Mystery & Suspense, Drama |
| Release Date: | Feb 24, 2006 |
| DVD Release Date: | Apr 11, 2006 |
| Starring: | Cate Blanchett, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving, Martin Henderson, Noni Hazlehurst, Joel Tobeck, Dustin Nguyen, Lisa McCune, Susie Porter, Nina Liu |
| Directed by: | Rowan Woods |
| Synopsis: | A former drug-addict in her early thirties attempts to put her shady past to rest while paving the way for a brighter future in director Rowan Woods' tale of love, trust, and redemption in modern-day Australia. Tracy Heart (Cate Blanchett) hasn't lived her 32 years so much as she has simply survived them. Ravaged by the drug-addiction and determined to redeem herself in the eyes of her overworked single-mother Janelle (Noni Hazelhurst), Tracy makes a personal vow to open her own business and turn her life around before it's too late and life has passed her by. Tracy's plan is complicated, however, when three men from her past reappear with their own plans for the future. In addition to the troubling re-appearance of her ex-boyfriend Jonny (Dustin Nguyen), her criminal-minded brother Ray (Martin Henderson) seems hell-bent on making a name for himself in the underworld, and the emotional demands of troubled family friend and ex-football star Lionel Dawson (Hugo Weaving) have left the emotionally vulnerable Tracy shaken and confused. When Tracy's modest dreams of a happy life catch the attention of feared criminal kingpin Bradley "The Jockey" Thompson (Sam Neill), she is forced to place her fragile trust in the hands of her skeptical mother and take one last trip into the past to confront her greatest fear. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi |
| Full movie details |
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Other Top Reviews
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May 23, 2011
A very gritty Australian film, with of plenty of natural performers. Slow moving at times, but a story that was kind of unavoidable, in your face and was told with a lot of reality.
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November 15, 2010
I recognize Little Fish's failures, but for some reason I found it utterly heartbreaking.
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September 3, 2008
An all-star Australian cast work this wonderfully scripted drama to its full extent. What starts of as a complex drama soon turns into that of a crime drama. It is to the films credit that the evolution of genres is handled rather well and goes mostly unnoticed. The film relies more on subtle hints to the past of the characters, and even leaves us with an ending that needs some thinking about. This may not be to everyone's liking but it really does make it a more involving piece. It's gorgeously shot, with lighting used coming off as something other-worldly with great beams shining down from street lights and headlights. A great drama that doesn't quite have a conclusion that the film hints towards earlier on.
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June 9, 2008
Great performances raise this Australian tale of the struggle to move on and what to keep from your past, above the norm.
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February 26, 2006
[font=Century Gothic]"Little Fish" is an Australian film about a recovering drug addict, Tracy(Cate Blanchett), who has been the manager of a video store for the past four years. She is trying to secure a loan, so she can own her own business but since she has the worst credit rating in history, no such luck. On the occasion of the birthday of her brother, Ray(Martin Henderson), her ex, Johnny(Dustin Nguyen), returns from a 5-year exile in Vancouver. Johnny was responsible for the car crash which crippled her brother.[/font]
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[font=Century Gothic]"Little Fish" is an aimless, meandering movie about the effect that drug use has on loved ones that promises to come together at the end but never quite does. The movie might have worked better as a series of flashbacks. It is a shame because it wastes an excellent cast. Of course Cate Blanchett is very good. Hugo Weaving is exceptional playing a strung out rugby legend who seeks to clean up. And Sam Neill gets beyond playing his usual designated husband/father role by here playing a dapper and retiring crimelord.[/font]
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[font=Century Gothic]Note 1: Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving are also currently appeaing together in "Hedda Gabler" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.[/font]
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[font=Century Gothic]Note 2: Director Rowan Woods is best known here in the states for directing several episodes of the great science fiction series "Farscape" which is referenced a couple times in this movie. Nice D'Argo poster, by the way.[/font] -
fb721890245November 7, 2010An all star Aussie lineup returns to their roots to piece together this extraordinary bit of drama. Nice to see that some people do in fact embrace their own cinema despite going Hollywood.
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January 16, 2007
Acting just barely elevates somber tale of junkies trying to move on.
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March 27, 2010
Yet another Australian film about drug addicts. Yawn.
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December 13, 2009
Little Fish, Or, Lord of the Syringes: Elrond And Galadriel's Mystical Journey To Junkietown.
This Australian production is one of the best films centered around drug addiction that I have seen because it's told with a fresh approach. Cate Blanchett is brilliant as usual as Tracey Heart, a former addict successfully getting her life back together. Her problem is that she's still surrounded by all the people from those dark days: her brother & mother, her semi-boyfriend (a former footy star outstandingly portrayed by an unrecognizable Hugo Weaving), and her serious ex-boyfriend just came back to town after a 4-year exile.
What makes this film so involving is that we don't know all the details of the past, and we see relationships develop that other characters are unaware of. Furthermore, there is no explicit drug use, we only see the effects, and as Tracey's efforts at securing a bank loan to expand her business falter, we see those effects extend for years far beyond the drugs themselves. Desperate for money, she forms a partnership and embarks on a climactic encounter fraught with tension with a completely un-Hollywood, open-ended conclusion. Strongly recommended for its type. -
June 1, 2007
I guess I'm just getting sick of drug movies, and this one seemed even more pointless than most. The acting is good though.
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May 3, 2012
a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred look at the lives shaken by the underground drug scene down under, it's far-reaching long-term impact, and the difficult road to recovery. i'll never look at sushi soysauce canisters in the same way again...
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June 23, 2008
This movie is a little slow, but has an interesting story. It probably wasn't necessary to be 2 hours long. The ending is very abrupt considering how long the story was dragged out.
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February 20, 2008
An excellently directed and acted film, with a script not completely realized. With such excellent character development, I expected less of a cliche to bring it all together. Worth it for Hugo Weaving as you have NEVER seen him before.
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August 14, 2007
Great acting cannot save this film. It is slow paced and quite boring. Its toted as a thriller but is more like a melodrama.It gets a half a star for Cate Blanchett.
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August 12, 2007
The acting was good, but I found myself silently pleading with each character to just go away. I have a high tolerance for movies that don't engage me but I almost could not finish this one.
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May 27, 2007
Quirky little film that packs a powerful punch. Cate Blanchett and her co-stars deliver mysteriously deep performances riddled with emotion and history. The story-line, though made clear through the film, remains still vague enough to become universally meaningful, relatable for anyone. Cate Blanchett struggles with maintaining the positive changes she's made in her life in a world trying to push her back down.
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May 11, 2007
Quite an impressive little film about one woman turning her wild ways around and trying desperately not to fall back into them. Finding herself amongst old friends is both bittersweet and hard, enabling new and old problems to come to a painful fruition. Cate and Hugo are, as always, the glisteninf stones in this piece, Rough edged and worn but with a gem of their own inside their characters. Hugo's portrayal is both flawed and endearing at the same time. Worth a look for sure.
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March 10, 2007
I had absolutely no clue what this movie was about or even understanding the story, for that matter. I guess it's mainly due in part to the fact that EVERY single person in the film was speaking with an Australian accent, which made it a lot more difficult to understand a damn thing they were saying! I guess if I was able to understand a majority of the dialogue, this film would have been a lot more enjoyable!
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February 7, 2007
Great performances, and an honest and accurate portrayal of an age group where failed dreams and new hope conflict.
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June 28, 2006
It's little wonder she cleaned up during the awards season in Aussie land in this performance. It should be noted that she chose this small budgeted film directly after her Oscar win.
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June 4, 2006
It's an okay film. It has a lot of talent but it lacks in script... Nothing is really explained and the supporting characters like Weaving and Neill are totally under utilized.
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April 25, 2006
I found the film quite mezmorising actually when events in the plot really reflected back on the 'drugs are bad' theme very well. The acting was superb by cate blanchett and Hugo Weaving especially
