Film Challenge Week 16: A film KYK has rated 5 stars
Film: The Annihilation of Fish (1999)
Genre: Romance/Comedy
Watched on: Kanopy
I'm nosy. As a nosy person, I like knowing what films people enjoy, particularly people I follow on Letterboxd.
For this week's challenge, I decided to check out my following list and click on a random person to see their Top 4 and the list of films rated 5 stars. I can't remember how I came to follow this user, but her Top 4 piqued my interest, as it consisted of films I've never heard of before.
KYK's bio describes herself as "(a) retired film critic darling, formerly for the new york times, the village voice, the nation, and more." I knew I was in good hands.
Since one of her top 4 is on Kanopy, I decided to give it a watch.
The Annihilation of Fish is an unusual romance film revolving around Poinsettia and Fish. Poinsettia is a lonely woman who, after many failed attempts to marry her imaginary partner Giacomo Puccini, a dead composer, moves from San Francisco to a boarding house in Los Angeles. There, she meets Obadiah 'Fish' Johnson, a Jamaican immigrant who was recently released from the mental institution after failed treatments to rid him of his demons.
Fish physically engages in boxing matches with his demon named Hank, who follows him no matter how far he runs. The couple strikes up an unlikely romance, facing their fears and anxieties together.
"Romantic comedies have become something of a tired staple in indie filmmaking, these days. Yet, odd as it may seem, it’s the unlikely interracial geriatric chops on display in The Annihilation of Fish that breathe new life into the genre."
I believe this review by Merle Bertrand of Film Threat captures the essence of the film so well. In a world of romcoms filled with gorgeous people in cliche tropes, it was refreshing to see a middle-aged couple finding love and intimacy later in life, despite the trials and tribulations they face in their everyday lives.
Upon reflection, I can see why this film is in KYK's top 4. It is beautiful to witness love blossom in unconventional ways.
Poinsettia and Fish are two middle-aged, neurodivergent people who are at a transitional point in their lives. Poinsettia is grieving the loss of her imaginary partner, whereas Fish is picking up the pieces of his life after spending time in a mental institution. As they grow closer, both of them play a central role in one another's mental states. At one point, Poinsettia is recruited as the referee between Fish and Hank's boxing fights.
I must say that every character in this film is unique and memorable. Mrs. Muldroone, the landlord of the boarding house, insists on the spelling of her name to assert agency over her life. Although she seemed cold and harsh, her kind heart is seen through her care of both Poinsettia and Fish.
However, when I first watched this, I had a difficult time paying attention and feeling invested in the characters. Perhaps it was one of those moments where I watched this at the wrong time, because I firmly believe that there's a time and place for certain works of art to enter your life when you resonate with them the most.
When I first watched Her by Spike Jonze, I wrote it off as a quirky love story between a man and his AI companion. A few years after that, I was surprised by how much I cried upon rewatching it. It was a time of heartbreak and isolation, so the themes of loneliness, grief, and heartbreak resonated with me deeply. I could see clearly how the underlying story of losing the person you thought was your partner for life materialized in the film.
How did I not see that before? Well, the first time I watched the film, I had never experienced true love before.
Watching The Annihilation of Fish at this particular moment of my life, I rated it 3 stars. Might that change 5, 10 years from now? I believe so. I'll leave you with KYK's second review of the film after rewatching it again this year:
