User Reviews

I took a chance when I got this one from my local library. And I'm happy I did! This is no masterpiece, but it's still a surprisingly likeable piece of work. I especially liked the Clive's character, played by Bill Henderson. And I fell in love with Rosemarie Addeo! In all, a nice independent film.

Out of 100, I gave it 75. That's good for **½ out of ****.

Seen at home, in Toronto, on April 23rd, 2002.

"Smiling Fish and Goat on Fire" is, in several ways, an Italians-in-L.A. version of "The Brothers McMullen."

It's evidently done by NYU students, with the print blown-up from 16 mm, grainy shadows and all, and filmed primarily in the house of the brothers who co-star in and co-wrote the screenplay.

The problems with the Opposite Sex are pretty much the same too, with one being a happy-go-lucky philanderer (that's "Smiling Fish") and the other a straight-arrow accountant being shredded by his long-time girlfriend (that's "Goat on Fire").

The new, magic realism element is an elderly black sage from the early days of race movies who provides oddball advice on love and the magic of the movies.

As twenty-somethings-in-and-out-of-love movies go, this is cute and likable.

(originally written 9/16/2000)

The film reminds me of two other films: Marty, a low-budget independent romance that won the Best Picture Oscar in 1955 and Big Night, which focuses on the close relationship between two very different brothers. Made on a $40, 000 budget, this film won the Best First Film award at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film does not have a very original story and is fairly predictable but that is okay because it is not really plot-driven. Just like a Chopin Prelude played by many different pianists: the notes are the same and predictable but the overall effect can vary from terrible to sublime. This film approaches the sublime. It is about characters who can win our hearts very easily. There are five central characters: two brothers of very different temperament, their new girlfriends and an elderly black widower, all quite lovable. The brothers are in their twenties and have social problems that they must deal with. The plot starts weak but grows strong, as the brothers start to overcome their current problems but end up with new ones. The brothers are very close and positive with each other, in a most delightful way; each one helps the other just by being there. They are played by real-life brothers, who also co-wrote the screenplay with their close friend, the director. The older brother is overly serious and ambitious: "Goat on Fire". He is befriended by a wise, elderly, black co-worker, who is pining for his late wife. The younger brother is a personable fellow, who just glides through life: "Smiling Fish". Since the older brother brought up his younger brother, they having been orphaned, he is unable to look to his younger brother for direction but the old man is extremely wise, helpful and loving and becomes a father-figure for the older brother and a delight for the audience. I left the film with a very warm feeling that lasted for a long time.

It's good sometimes to be reminded we need low budget indie films to tell us warm, genuinely human stories. Despite poor production values wonderful performances shine through here. Most notable is Bill Henderson giving the performance of his life. Mainstream films offer so few strong emotional roles to the elderly (as opposed to pap like The Crew or Space Cowboys) that it's nice to see Bill shine. When I saw the premier screening at Toronto International Film Festival it received 3 standing ovations, one especially for Henderson, who was overwhelmed with joy to receive it.

I look forward to this film coming to town again so I can see it a second time after post-production.

SMILING FISH AND GOAT ON FIRE (2000) *** Derick Martini, Steven Martini, Christa Miller, Amy Hathaway, Bill Henderson, Rosemarie Addeo, Heather Jae Marie, Wesley Thompson. (Dir: Kevin Jordan) Independent filmmaking has always never failed in churning out a pleasant feeling little gem and continues that tradition in this funny and warm-spirited sleeper.

Chris and Tony Remi (played by real-life brothers Derick and Steven Martini) are very close brothers who share their family's house in Los Angeles and their Native American nicknames from their grandmother (Tony is the happy Fish and Chris the moody Goat) while trying to come to terms with their relationships between the women in their lives and themselves.

Tony is an actor who is having trouble maintaining commitment with his high-strung girlfriend Nicole (Marie) while Chris, a responsible accountant, is trying to find out why his gal Alison (Hathaway) is always crying in bed. After both brothers wind up without their ladies for reasons beyond their control they wind up at a Christmas party and the wound-licking Chris winds up chatting with an incredibly beautiful Italian woman named Anna (Addeo) and forgets about Nicole.

Meanwhile Tony has struck up a friendship with their mail carrier, Kathy (Miller from TV's 'The Drew Carey Show') who is a single mother whose daughter Natalie (Thompson) is a budding child actress who bonds with Tony at a shared audition. The three soon become inseparable and Tony realizes just how special they are to him.

To add to the equation, Chris caters to his stand-offish boss' elderly uncle, Clive Winter (Henderson) a retired film soundman who pioneered black cinema with the likes of Paul Robeson and teaches Chris some life lessons in love by telling him about meeting his wife, an assistant director, on the set of a film where they found love at first sight to be an overpowering lifeforce until her sad demise. Clive can see Chris clearly falling head over heels for the exotic Anna and plays matchmaker.

The film works primarily on the natural at ease the real-life brothers imbue for their characters and the easy going pacing by Jordan (who co-wrote with the Martinis; the threesome are best friends in real life) allows character development to glide effortlessly from scene to scene.

The Martinis are ably supported by the giddily charming Miller and the drop dead gorgeous Addeo as their perfect matches that you can't not help rooting for these four to stay together. Henderson also adds some magic as the voice of reason from the heart that doesn't ring false in what could easily have been a too cloying plot device.

A perfect date movie and a near perfect debut by three very talented guys.

At long last! Steven Martini, an extremely talented actor who aside from a doomed TV series and a few made-for TV movies, has been lost to me since _Major Payne_ where he blew me away as Cadet Alex Stone. But through an amazing streak of luck, I ran across this movie. It was wonderfully cast, not a single person seemed badly chosen. The whole story was great, and I was even more astonished when I found out the low budget.

Let's give credit where it's due and get this in theaters soon! Absolutely wonderful!

I saw this film at the Toronto International Film Festival after watching a bunch of Hollywood galas all week, and "Goat on Fire and Smiling Fish" was by far the best of the bunch. An intriguing storyline, engaging characters, and a phenomenal performance by Bill Henderson made this one movie I will be recommending to all of my friends. The director, Kevin Jordan, and many of his cast members were there, and he said the movie was made for about $40,000: you certainly can't tell that at all. This is a film about two brothers who are very different (played by real-life brothers) who both find love, but their love lives are complicated by outside circumstances. Bill Henderson plays the sentimental and lovable Uncle Clive (whom Jordan described as the "Yoda of Love" at the screening) whose memories of his own true love help Chris make decisions about his own life. This is a wonderful movie, but don't take my word for it: go see it for yourself.

I thought this movie was an excellent change of pace from the over-acted, glossy big studio releases. The characters are interesting and the plot is not just another stock rerun. It even managed to pull off an upbeat ending without coming off as sappy. Its definitely a light hearted movie without any massive conflict to work through or ground breaking issues to explore. It has a very laid back, slice of life, feel. Great movie to rest your mind on.

This film was great. That's all there is to it. Sure a romantic-comedy, but there was something different about this one. Typically, with these types of movies, the comedy is overemphasized hit-you over the head silliness crap and the romance is just in your face jump in bed crap mushy crap. This one is different. The casting is perfect, these people aren't leading man/woman types, but are average looking people. And the thing that sticks out the most is how REAL the relationships are, sure a bit crazy at times, but not beyond what anyone in real life experiences. The film is altogether believable, fun and charming. Highly recommended if you want to see something freshly entertaining. (Rather than overdramatized hollywood foolishness). Congrats to the makers of this film!!!

I happened upon this DVD at the library, and because I love watching movies I've never seen which also have strange titles, I checked it out. After watching it a couple of times, I've decided to buy it!

"Smiling Fish & Goat on Fire" will definitely not appeal to everyone. It's a quiet little story about relationships, both romantic and brotherly, and "coming of age" (funny, I never knew what that term meant until seeing this film).

I hadn't ever heard of the Martini brothers, nor Kevin Jordan or Bill Henderson for that matter, and I probably never would have were it not for the lucky happenstance at the library. This film is genuinely charming, thanks in no small part to the actors and the screenplay. Not your basic Hollywood romantic comedy in the least (and I'm not averse to those), "Smiling Fish..." is in full possession of its own self. Bravo all around! Anyone who comes from a close two-sibling-of-the-same-sex family will probably love this film, as well as anyone who enjoys a touching "slice-of-life" story with much originality, and even more heart. Funny, unique, and sweet!!!

I went to a free screening of this picture on Aug. 23, 2000. The woman from the distribution company informed us: "The filmmakers couldn't be here tonight, but if they were, they would like you to know that the film cost $40,000 to make, and won the Audience Appreciation award in Toronto." THAT'S what they want us to know. Who cares how much it cost?

The film is dreary, but girls seemed to like it, because good-looking guys learn their lessons (from women, of course) and become much better people.

At the start, each brother (the happy-go-lucky blonde actor nicknamed "Smiling Fish" by a Native-American grandmother, and the serious dark-haired accountant nicknamed "Goat on Fire) is having girl problems. Fish's girlfriend realizes that he is using a ribbed condom--and she buys all the condoms, but never ribbed. Goat's girlfriend keeps crying for no reason at all. It turns out that she is pregnant, but not by Goat, and she's both confused about what to do, and going through that irrational phase that pregnant women sometimes do.

Each of the brothers attains a guru: Goat befriends a fellow accountant--an old black man who is trying to eat enough donuts to kill himself, so he can join his wife in heaven. Fish meets a lovely mail carrier, whose daughter (a budding actress herself) acts as his impetus to become serious with her mail-Mom. Goat takes up with a sultry animal-wrangler with an annoying European accent; he dumps her when he thinks that the ex-girlfriend's kid is his, but, after the old black man dies, a tape is played at the funeral that gets Goat and the wrangler back together.

I might have liked this movie if it took place in New York, but the California settings and jobs just seemed too la-la-lightweight. The movie seemed like a USC thesis film that cost maybe $35,000. I don't know where the other $5000 went to.

Hi. I just saw a free screening of this film, which is now called Smiling Fish and Goat on Fire. It was a pure treat. A sensitive subtle film with alot of heart. Not like the usual edgy violent depressing independents that are shot on this kind of a budget. You care about these characters. I really enjoyed it.

This is one of those flicks that are worth catching on cable if it happens to be on when you have nothing else to do. It's not worth renting. it is a likeable and watchable film that was obviously influenced by "The Brothers McMullen," although it's not as good and, in the final analysis, is ultimately silly. It provides an excellent performance by the veteran African-American character actor Bill Henderson, who plays Clive, a stereotypical elderly font of wisdom who imparts some of that wisdom to the driven and compulsive but Ultimately Decent Chris and the frivolous and irresponsible but Ultimately Decent Tony. He also provides a 'deus ex machina' ending as well. Do you remember the Danny Glover character in "Grand Canyon?" The Henderson character is the same character 50 years older.

I watched this movie tonight on the Sundance Channel and could not believe how absolutely pedestrian this film truly is. I mean come on, who can really care about whether these two guys find true love or not? I felt like I was watching a very mediocre version of an attempt at The Brothers McMullen and all of a sudden, I found myself appreciating Ed Burns alot more than I ever thought I would.

The film centers around two brothers who live together in L.A. played by the Martini brothers. From the outset, we see that their lives seem to revolve around the women they're dating. But that's about where the movie stops. There doesn't seem to be any driving force for their quest for meaningful relationships, there doesn't seem to be any back history between the two - besides from the V.O. at the beginning that explains that their grandmother gave them the nicknames of Goat on Fire and Smiling Fish. And we also realize that their parents are deceased. But no family issues are ever bought up in the film, nor for that matter is any direction of any type.

I'm utterly amazed that this went to Toronto and won an award. What is happening to the top festivals? Are they all being run by who you know? Because for this film to have gone to Toronto someone had to have been pulling strings. Or perhaps having "Martin Scorcese presents" is all you need. Needless to say, I would not recommend this movie to anyone. If you're interested in this kind of film, there are so many out there that blow this one out of the water. Smiling Fish? They should be swimming with the fish.

To succeed, a romantic comedy has to be centered around likeable characters. Although some of the supporting actors and actresses were likeable, the two "stars" of the movie really failed to shine in this department. Am I supposed to like the first brother because he has a tender moment with an adorable little girl while, unbeknownst to him, her mother is quietly watching? Folks, it doesn't get much more cheeseball that that. Am I supposed to like the second brother, after he acts like a complete jerk throughout the entire movie, simply because he wants to find true love? I couldn't have cared less whether these two losers got what they wanted, and found myself hoping that they ended up alone together--because the only people that they really deserved in my book were each other.

If you're the kind of person that is amused and touched when two brothers wrestle in the kitchen and it breaks into a bonding moment between the two barbarians, then this is your movie. For those of you who ask that characters give us something more than their mere presence and hackneyed tender moments to feel involved, stay away. The poor writing for the movie's two main characters completely wastes the few nice moments that the supporting cast provides.

One final comment. I was completely turned off by a phrase in the first few moments of the movie, when some cheesy narration by one of the brothers explains the movie's title and prepares us for the hour and a half of lameness that we're about to endure. It went something like this: "I know it sounds gay, but I really love my brother." "I know it sounds gay"? Did I hear that right? "I know it sounds gay"? Do grown adults really use this phrase in this day and age?

I consider myself to be more cynical, jaded, and negative than most people, but this movie will not allow it! This is an honest, feel-good movie with likeable characters and a story anyone can relate to. It is very well-written and well-acted as well. It also has a really good ending, which is very important. This is one of those movies I took a chance on in the rental store, and boy am I glad that I did! Enjoy!

I love this movie. It's original, realistic, unpredictable and charming. I felt like I was watching real people in their real lives. What a treat this film is. Each character is so well developed, has such real and appropriate emotions...I felt I knew them all, and well. They could be my co-workers or neighbors or friends. The acting is wonderful. Bravo to the writers and director. Watching this film is better than eating a hot fudge sundae! Long live the indies.

Terrible title for a very good, modest and charming movie. Great cast, good story, good dialogue. The beginning is a bit slow but it grows on you. Both funny and moving. I cried a little at the end. But it's not a drama. It's just about love and real life, complicated, messy and rewarding. It's a 'feel good' movie but it's not with the usual Hollywood crap. I recommend it without any restriction, except to those who liked Richard Gere in "Autumn in New York". If you liked that, the "Goat/Fish" is not for you. We are talking about cinema here.

Not unlike Ed Burns early work - which was pretty good stuff - this "Fish/Goat" flick is all talk. Two single L.A. brothers wrestle with their relationships in a so-so indie which bets everything on the characters who aren't sufficiently interesting to make the film a worthwhile watch. Among the characters are an Italian babe with a terrible accent; a kookie black guy who just gets in the way of what little plot there is to be found; and one of the bros, Tony, isn't even likeable. Uninspired but okay for what little it accomplishes.

I heard quite a lot of pre-release buzz for "Smiling Fish and Goat on Fire" so naturally I planned on seeing it as soon as it hit theaters.

I must disagree with most of the other IMDB reviewers, sad to say. The movie did have its funny moments, but I have seen this type of independent romantic comedy soooo many times already. It just isn't as fresh and original as so many people have been hailing it to be.

I think the fact that this movie was made for only $40,000 is admirable. But that doesn't mean that it is a good film. The chemistry between Chris (Derick Martini) and the Italian animal wrangler was lacking. I didn't know what she saw in him, to be honest. The scenes between Chris and his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend Ali were much more intriguing.

The movie might have also been a little more interesting if it explored Tony's (Steven Martini) womanizing a bit further. It would have provided great tension in his growing relationship with the mail-woman. But instead all we get is his instant rapport with her cute, but way-too-precocious, little girl. Steven Martini has a lot of appeal, but there was no conflict in this relationship to keep my attention. ZZZZZzzzzzzz.....

I really hate to be the wet blanket as far as this movie is concerned, but it didn't really live up to my expectations. For a better and fresher independent romantic comedy, I would recommend "The Tao of Steve."

These guys did a lot with a very little ($40k budget!). I saw a free screening of this last night and was really impressed. Great characters, dialogue, an easy-paced story that feels real good. Nice insights on the ever-told story of boy meets girl, boy screws things up with girl. SEE IT. TELL YOUR FRIENDS.

I'd heard good things about this movie from a few people so I finally got around to renting it. (Needless to say, those who recommended this movie to me have been permanently removed from my Christmas list.)

If unoriginality was a communicable disease, there would be a Surgeon General warning on this movie. Lame characters sleepwalking through their hackneyed lines and contrived situations. It was like watching a headache.

I wouldn't call this a 'terrible' movie, though. It's too boring to be 'terrible'. It wasn't original enough to be 'terrible'. This movie was just blah.

However, if you watched the "Tao of Steve" and thought the dialogue was just too darn clever and insightful and if you just absolutely adore cliches: Then this is the movie for you.

Caught this on DVD. This charmer reminds me of a film from the seventies the way it takes it's time to unfold and pull you in. Hopefully with that Greek Wedding movie blowing away the box office more indies like this will be made, films that let you make a connection with characters. I'm getting a little sick of ironic Salingeresk indies. Let me feel something.

I've just returned from the Toronto Film Festival where this film delighted everyone...an well it should have. it is a delightful story, told wonderfullt by first-time director Kevin Jordan.

Let's hope it gets a distribution deal and is shown on ample screens to get an audience.......more films like this need to be made.

I have seen this movie a few times at several showings. Toronto was huge, Los Angeles rocked, New York was mint! I can't believe the success of this fine film. It's like the little engine that could. I loved Derick and Steven very professional.

Their friend Phillip was hysterical, that part with the santa hat, I was laughing my ass off. I can a big future for all of these fine actors/producers. I am even more excited to see what the future holds in store for these film makers. IT'S A GO SEE SEVERAL TIMES.