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SLEEPING WITH THE FISHES The SLIFF 2013 Review
Review by Dana Jung
Alexis Fish (a revelatory Gina Rodriguez) is a twenty-something widow who is slowly eroding away in Los Angeles; her husband left her in debt, she’s working menial jobs like dressing up as a giant panda for a restaurant, and she is taking medication to help her with feelings of depression, anxiety, anger, you name it. She misses her family in New York, especially her sister Kayla (the wonderful Ana Ortiz) and her father (Tibor Feldman). However, even the distance from East coast to West doesn’t seem to be enough to nullify the contentious relationship she has with her mother (Priscilla Lopez). The mother/daughter conflict is one of the main themes that propels the funny and moving new film SLEEPING WITH THE FISHES.
When a family funeral brings Alexis back to New York, things at first seem to go from bad to worse. As her freespirited sister explains, “Reality sucks for her right now. Once it starts getting better, she’ll live in it again.” Alexis is barely home an hour before round one with her mother begins. Her sister and father try to act as mediators and peacemakers, with limited results. “How long have I been here?” asks a dazed Alexis after the first of many arguments. “Long enough to remember why you left,” her sister wryly answers. Moments of genuine humour such as these are expertly interspersed with more serious drama by writer/director Nicole Gomez Fisher, who gives even the heavier scenes a light and melancholy quality that keeps the film from ever being heavyhanded or straying too far from its more comedic roots.
The cast is simply superb. Lopez imbues the mother with a real feeling of devotion and caring in a role that could easily have become the stereotypical domineering matriarch. As Alexis’ father, Feldman underplays to great effect, which only accentuates the depth of his love for his daughter. But the movie’s best performances are the two leads. Ortiz (mostly known for TVs UGLY BETTY and currently seen on DEVIOUS MAIDS) is irrepressibly lovable as Alexis’ older sister Kayla. Spilling over with a vivacious lunacy, Kayla is full of the advice she thinks an older sibling should give, but has not yet been dealt any serious blows in life to really give her counsel any weight. As Alexis, Rodriguez is by turns funny, distraught, awkward, vulnerable—all this and much more play across her face throughout the film. In nearly every scene, it is Rodriguez who makes us really become invested in hoping that the intelligent, witty, and attractive Alexis catches a break and gets a happy ending. SLEEPING WITH THE FISHES is also full of fresh and offbeat sequences, such as the meeting with the lesbian party animal booker (!), and the climactic bat mitzvah party. Throw in a handsome divorced dad (Steven Strait of TVs MAGIC CITY), and you have the recipe for an exceptional movie about picking up the pieces fate has dealt.
“Sleeping with the fishes” is more commonly known as an expression of death, such as “pushing up daisies.” Death does figure into the story of this family in important ways, but the irony is that Alexis’ story is about finding the strength and inspiration to make a fresh start. Would that we all could discover the love and support that Alexis finds when it comes our time to begin again.
SLEEPING WITH THE FISHES screens as part of The St. Louis International Film Festival Saturday, Nov 23rd at 7:00pm at The Tivoli Theater
For ticket information, visit Cinema St. Louis’ site HERE
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