Synopsis:
In Bishop, a town filled with secrets, the three Simon sisters, Belle, Rachel, & Jessa, are trying to cope with their mother’s absence and maintain a normal life. Silently repressing them is Rick, their damaged father who, adrift himself, is growing increasingly obsessed with The Rapture that he believes is imminent. With home anything but a refuge, the sisters must cling to one another to survive.
“You either talk or get talked about,” says Belle in a moody tone. I don’t know how many of you grew up in a small town or a tight-knit neighborhood but it’s a quote that I find rings true, especially growing up in the south. Not only does everyone know your business but they’re going to make sure that you know, that they know. Fishbowl dives into this theme and turns it into a brooding dramatic thriller. With its trancelike cinematography, it’s a film that draws you in with its mellow telling of its backstory and enthralls you as you feel that something is not quite right within the Simon household. One of the film’s best qualities is its use of symbolism. From ominous dreams down to the wardrobe, it’s filled with profound visuals that keep things interesting and tell a bigger story. Using the push and pull of religious faith, alcoholism, as well as the fear of Y2K makes for a dynamic subplot that pushes its way to the forefront. Which then leads itself to some extreme actions that play a huge role in this trauma-induced story. In addition, with the 90s being the new popular setting, the film does a great job of not using the setting as a crutch.
The film succeeds in artfully telling a beguiling story without a ton of dialogue and no score. Instead, the background is filled with the dancing sound of apocalyptic talk-radio and a money-hungry televangelist. Resulting in some great acting and us a viewer being thrust into the drama. While somewhat lacking in the thriller department, Fishbowl comes around full circle in a very pleasing somber way that doesn’t feel forced. In their directorial debut, this indie film by Alexa and Stephen Kinigopoulos leads me to believe they have a bright future ahead of them. Overall, I enjoyed Fishbowl and it was even better the second time around. Its rewatchability is high.
Plot & Pace
After months of dealing with the absence of their mother, sisters, Belle, Rachel, and Jessa are continuing to have a difficult time coping and returning to a state of normalcy. Not only do they have to deal with judgment and stares from their peers and others, but their father has now been drawn in by televangelism. Becoming obsessed with the rapture, due to what seems like a lack of control in his life, their father becomes just as big of a burden as everything else going on in their lives. With Belle being the oldest, she must find a way for her two sisters as well as herself to find some since of normalcy in a town they have outgrown.
I thought the pace was well executed. As I said before, you end up in a trancelike state trying to figure out what’s going to happen and before you know it, it’s over.
Characters & Chemistry
The cast did an amazing job. Especially it’s newcomers, Caroline Coleman and Belle Shickle. The father, Rick (Rick Kain) has some intense and silently awkward chemistry with his daughters. Having to cope with their mother’s (Judith Hoag) absence, the girls that once seemed to be single unit, now have very distinctive personalities. Visually given to us at one point, the are now The Devil, The Princess, and The Nun. Belle (Belle Shickle) is the unruly rebel, Rachel (Emily Peachey) is the middle child that rarely does wrong, and Jessa (Caroline Coleman) is the youngest who is affected by their mother’s absence in a more obvious way than the others. Despite how different they are, the trio are very close and protective of each other.
As of October 27th, Fishbowl is available on Prime Video and other VOD platforms. Enjoy and stay safe.
Directors: Alexa Kinigopoulos and Stephen Kinigopoulos
Writers: Piero S. Iberti, Stephen Kinigopoulos, Maria Stratakis
Rated: NR
Runtime: 1h 25m
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Senior Critic. Observing the human race since 1988.
