Gone Fishin'

[StevePulaski]

Danny Glover and Joe Pesci in Gone Fishin'.

Rating: ★★½

When looked at at a specific perspective, you can see what the producers were trying to do with Gone Fishin'. Make it a quirky, not very serious, fun kids movie. It seems they picked the two most serious actors for the job though. Danny Glover and Joe Pesci are good in lots of things they have been in, but this is just neither of them at their best. I think the problem was the PG rating. This could have been a great film if it had an R rating. Its almost like Glover and Pesci are struggling to hold back the words they want to use. You can tell Pesci just wants to blow off steam at points in the film. If this was R, it could have been a quirky, funny, and all out Comedy.

Glover and Pesci play Gus and Joe, two average guys who want to get away and have a simple, relaxing vacation at the Everglades. They get way more than they ask for after having their car stolen at a restaurant. They realize the man who stole their car is a crook and a killer so Gus and Joe pair up with two girls looking for the man, for a little while, then go off on their own getting into their own trouble. They embark in every which way to try and stop the crook, but they just dig themselves deeper in a hole. Their stupidity doesnt help the situation one bit has both the leads are clueless and naive. But they are dependent on catching the guy and still making it home for Thanksgiving with their family.

Once again, sometimes their stupidity tends to drag the film on which Ive never been a fan of. Its just like in Dinner for Schmucks and Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd. Stupidity is one thing, overwhelmingly stupid is another. It wears on you and almost makes you believe the actors are as dumb as they appear. But, thankfully, Gone Fishin' knows its limits and doesnt make the characters brainy, smartasses or make them bumbling nitwits. So the film doesnt fail there.

While being completely harmless, at the same time, its overly kiddish. We saw Joe Pesci play stupid in Home Alone, but now, after seeing Casino and Goodfellas, I dont want to see him in a PG rated kid movie. Id rather have him be in an R rated Comedy where he can be himself and the same goes with Danny Glover. If this was R, it would probably earn another star, and quite possibly, another star in a half. But at least we get a relaxing opening driving scene with a great Willie Nelson tune in the background and a delightful appearance by him as well.

Gone Fishin' was panned at the time, but it should also be taken into mind Janet Wilder was killed during a scene in this movie, so that doesnt give the movie a get-out-of-harsh-words free card, but it should just be said and maybe go easy on the movie. While Im not praising Gone Fishin', Im neither recommending it very far. Keep that in mind.

Starring: Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Nick Brimble, Rosanna Arquette, Lynn Whitfield, and Willie Nelson. Directed by: Christopher Cain.