Kettle of Fish (2006)

Mel (Matthew Modine) and Ginger (Gina Gershon) couldn't be more different; she's an uptight biologist, he's a life long bachelor and musician. When Mel meets a woman at a gig it will spark a series of events that will change their relationship forever. Featuring an A-List cast, Kettle of Fish, is a funny, sweet romantic comedy that cannot be missed!

Nothing Exceptional, But Worth a Look Anyways

"Kettle of Fish" is a basic romantic comedy that hopes to entertain you for a little while and then have you go on your way. I say this as a good thing because I was entertained and never felt as though the film condescended to me or treated me as though I were brain dead. There also was no ridiculous bets involved ("I bet I can make the ugly girl hot.") or massive contrivances like there are in most romantic comedies. Instead you get a warm hear, a few laughs, and a good dose of dorkiness. Mel (Matthew Modine) is forced to move back in with his subletter Ginger (Gina Gershon) after he is dumped by his girlfriend. Ginger and Mel start off by despising one another (although I never bought this particular contrivance) until they eventually become best of friends. Meanwhile Mel is making something of a fool out of himself by chasing a rich girl, Diane, around town who he met at her wedding. He even takes a job as an elevator man in her apartment so that he can spend more quality time with her. But alas, even though the rich husband has no time for the wife, the wife in turn has no time for the help. So Mel chases an unattainable girl while a great down to Earth girl is right under his nose. It's all very predictable.

What isn't predictable is how good the acting would be from the two leads. Modine's Mel is nothing more than a narcissist, but thanks to his performance we can never hate him for it. He's just doing whatever feels right and if it doesn't work out, well, oh well. Gershon, amazingly, makes the nerd look work for her and is far more attractive with that look then with that bombshell image she's been going for the past few years. I'm sure the film was going for the age old theme of men are animals. Well yes, but so are females. So while men may do some stupid things in the name of spreading their seed, women can look just as foolish when they try and tame these men. I sympathized with Mel because I have been in many situations where in my mind I was on the verge of marrying a girl and in her mind she didn't even know my name. And while that may be equal parts creepy and romantic, I would also say that it is fairly universal. My major complaint about the movie would be the Central Park scene. Diane gets lost in Central Park (?) and calls both Mel and her husband to come save her. Besides the obvious that it is impossible to get lost in Central Park (pick a direction, walk straight), it is just as impossible for the two guys to find her mystery location so quickly and at the exact same time. That scene aside the film does work. People want what they can't have. Of course their fallback plan doesn't usually look like Gina Gershon but this is the movies, and in the movies the fallback plan is always the better choice anyways. So who cares if their are no surprises in store here, it is too enjoyable to spoil with petty complaints. Well, except for that scene where the scorned girlfriend throws her boyfriends belongings out of the window. Could they have unearthed a bigger cliche? ***1/4
March 8, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...