Review – The Fisher King

The thing that stood out for me the first time I saw this movie – and which lingers still upon recent re-watch – is that it isn’t at all what I thought it would be. From Terry Gilliam I expected something way more Gilliam-y, with more animation and intrusive art direction. His signature touches crop up here and there – such as the Red Knight sequences – but for the most part the storytelling is straightforward. Likewise I expected Robin Williams to be his usual, annoying self. To be sure, his manic antics aren’t entirely absent from the production. However, his performance is subdued compared to his usual shtick. And even when he does turn frantic at least it fits with the character he plays: a mentally-ill homeless man searching for the Holy Grail in New York City. The result is a successfully quirky little romantic comedy that’s way more entertaining than it should have been. Worth seeing