Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) User Reviews

Storytelling at Its Best

[chron · 9/10 · 25 March 2001]

I enjoyed this movie immensely. This is one of the best examples of storytelling that I have seen. The structure of the movie - alternating between the past and present, with multiple intertwining plots - keeps the viewer hooked on how the story will unfold. It unfolds gracefully and is enjoyable throughout.

The acting is exceptional. Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary Louise Parker carry the bulk of the acting load. They are fantastic. The relationship between these very different young women is complex and satisfying.

Since the movie is about women and the female roles are so strong, this movie has been dubbed a "chick flick", but that pejorative is unfair. This is good film making and those who like plot-driven cinema will enjoy this immensely. This one is in my DVD collection.

This film is what movies should be about...!

[vonschweissguth · 9/10 · 2 September 2011]

I have viewed this marvelous film at least 2 dozen times. As with all great movies, you will always catch something "new" with each watching.

If you want to be charmed, enchanted, moved, and find yourself wishing.... This is a film you will cherish.

I won't belabor more than others have written so well. It is a film that resides in my permanent library on my top shelf. When I watch it again, I find myself wishing that I knew the characters personally and somehow find that I do.

This film is one of the only that I esteem. It adds to your life. It hugs the heart and enriches who you are.

I want to thank all the marvelous actors. If they ever wondered why they chose their profession, this film is why.

200 years from now it will be loved and valued. The test of time is guaranteed with Fried Green Tomatoes!

Intelligent, heart-warming, poignant, uplifting and gratifying...

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 30 May 2010]

I am running out of words to describe how good Fried Green Tomatoes was. It may be two or three minutes too long, but other than that, there is very little wrong with this film. The film is amazing to look at, with gorgeous scenery and cinematography, and the score was beautiful. Fried Green Tomatoes also has an intelligent and heart-warming story, strong direction and some charming, funny and touching dialogue as well. The ending was suitably uplifting, but I admit I did shed a tear, mostly because I was so impressed by how beautiful the film was.

Also superb is the acting. Jessica Tandy is absolutely brilliant in this film, and quite rightly received an Oscar nomination. She plays an old-timer in the American South, who tells stories of the bigotry she encountered during her youth in the 1930s. Kathy Bates is a sheer delight as Evelyn, a modern-day housewife who visits Tandy in the nursing home and finds inspiration in memories from her past. Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker are terrific as well as Ingrid and Ruth.

Overall, Fried Green Tomatoes is a lovely little film, wonderfully acted and just very relaxing to watch. 9/10 Bethany Cox

The Story Stays With You Long After the Movie Ends

[Ouarda · 10/10 · 3 July 2003]

This is one of my top five films of all time. I was somewhat skeptical the first time I saw it because I adored the book and I knew there were some changes, but I found the essence of Fannie Flagg's fabulous novel in tact. This is a story that burrows into your heart and mind and stays there. It is absolutely magical storytelling with a stellar cast and beautifully written characters that never fade from memory.

A time and place in America, filled with the best and the worst of our life and history, is impeccably captured. The flashbacks take us to the time of an Alabama whistle stop town that was a bustling hub when the railroad was the center of all movement. This was the era of hobos and simple pleasures. The scenes from the past become more powerful by the juxtaposition to modern times, where the story begins and returns at intervals.

Kathy Bates plays Evelyn Couch, an unhappy middle-aged housewife who stumbles on Ninny Threadgoode (the superb Jessica Tandy) one day by accident at the nursing home where she is visiting one of her husband's relatives. The two have an instant chemistry and a deep friendship begins. Ninny proceeds to tell Evelyn the story of Idgie and Ruth, two young women who shared an amazing friendship and love 50 years earlier.

This movie has to be experienced, as mere descriptions might sound like another southern-flavored movie about women or a weepy nostalgic tale. It is much more than that, and more than the most glowing review can ever convey. If you are reading this and haven't seen it, please make a point to. The actors are nothing short of magical. All four actresses (Jessica Tandy, Kathy Bates, Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker) are at the top of their craft.

I will borrow a line from Ninny Threadgoode to describe how I always feel after seeing this film. "I may be sitting here in this nursing home but in my mind I'm over at the Whistle Stop Cafe having a plate of Fried Green Tomatoes".

I may be sitting here finishing this comment but in my mind I'm at the Whistle Stop Cafe. That's how powerful this story is for me.

A Beautiful Film

[johnpearce48 · 28 October 2004]

This is truly a beautiful film.

Well written and superbly acted it tugs at the heartstrings harder than almost any other movie. The way it sets up an obvious story line and then like a gentle roller-coaster suddenly takes you in another direction is unequalled in this type of film.

There are so many points of genuine sadness and whenever you think you have guessed the story you suddenly turn to find an outcome more surprising than you thought.

Major characters die, major characters do not "fall in love" and major characters are not allowed to cop-out; it is as a film should be.

Remarkable well written, produced with care and acted with understatement and love - it is a beautiful film.

Watch it.

An Excellent Story Within A Story

[azifucare · 10/10 · 9 July 2004]

I must admit. When I first heard of this movie many years ago, the title didn't sound that appealing and the few scenes that I saw didn't look very interesting. But what can I say? I was little then and didn't know what I was missing. My mother kept telling me how good of a movie this was, but I was just too stubborn and didn't pay attention. It was only a few months ago that I decided to watch it when it appeared on TV and boy was I surprised!!

This movie is beyond anything that I have ever viewed in my entire life. Usually, this sort of movie isn't the kind that I look at, but I fell in love with the story and the characters, as well as the wonderful actresses (Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Mary-Louise Parker) who did an outstanding job portraying their characters in a unique and unforgettable way.

Since I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't seen it, let me just say that it's an astounding tale of a special friendship that goes way beyond what we would call a "regular" one. It will make you thankful for the friends you have and even give women a sense to stand up for their own rights. All in all, I give this movie a 10 out of 10. If you haven't seen it, what are you doing reading this?! Go out and rent it!

This movie should be a lesson for "modern" filmmakers

[kemkomacar · 7/10 · 25 October 2019]

In recent years, filmmakers severely compromised the idea of a good storytelling by putting diverse characters unnecessarily into the plots, just for the sake of diversity. The story should come first or at least it should be compatible with the composition of the characters. Otherwise, the viewer would notice this forced attitude at storytelling. Some might enjoy such interventions but I beg to differ.

In that regard, this movie did a fantastic job, almost three decades ago. A woman helps the empowerment of two women from different timelines. Albeit not agressively she also takes a stand against racism. There is even an implied homosexual attraction between two female characters. And the movie does all things without compromising its authenticity, nothing feels forced to me.

To modern filmmakers: If you would like to have diversity in your movie, write your script accordingly, build your story onto diverse characters. Don't write generic plots and expect us to believe that you are somewhat sensitive person ,and not to cash on diversity trend, just because you let the minorities represent themselves.

Sweet, Bittersweet, and Intense

[aharmas · 10/10 · 18 July 2005]

This is a film you are bound to fall in love with. All of its characters feel real, intense, reaching out to touch with their passion and the film's nostalgic feel.

It contains some of my favorite performances of all time: Masterson, Parker, Tandy, and Bates give their very best, bringing two life fictional women who feel real, strong, and powerful. The film is very emotional, never maudlin, never disrespecting any of its components or the audience. It allows us to feel we are part of a world that might not exist anymore. What I like most about the film is how it embraces a passion for living.

There is much to be admired about the technical aspects of the film as well. It travels back and forth in time, with a structure that is hard to describe but a joy to watch as it shows how the main relationships were born, developed, and eventually were transformed into something more spiritual. The music is haunting and quite suitable to the delicate relationships, and the photography makes everyone and everything lovely, dreamlike at times.

The film will live on and will eventually be regarded as a classic. It deserves it so.

What An Authentic Flavor This Film Has

[Lechuguilla · 6/10 · 29 April 2005]

The twenty year friendship between two young women in the early twentieth century American South is the focus of this 1991 film from director Jon Avnet. Told in flashbacks, the story adopts a modern POV, with social empowerment being the theme. As such, the story is both unusual and unexpected, given its historical time frame. Viewers will be disappointed if they expect a more traditional Southern story ... about some dark, sinister secret emotionally repressed, and set among the lazy willows and old Magnolia trees.

Empowerment can be a wonderful thing. But, if it is taken to extremes, as it is in two subplots, one involving Frank Bennett, and the other involving Evelyn Couch, then it can be a cause for concern. And that's my main problem with this film. The subplots tend to lack credibility, although they do not detract from the overall character study of Idgie and Ruth.

What was most impressive to me was the film's atmospheric "flavor". Production design, set decoration, and costumes all sparkle with such vitality and detail, that you really feel like you're back in the rural South of the 1920's.

Most modern films pander to youth. To its everlasting credit, "Fried Green Tomatoes" features the wisdom of an elderly character, played by Jessica Tandy, in a nursing home. An added bonus of the film is Kathy Bates, whose acting is always first-rate.

Consummate story-telling, served well by superlative performances

[vijayr · 10/10 · 22 February 1999]

Fannie Flagg's novel of immense complexity (huge cast and innumerable separate stories) could have been impossible to film. However, it is made possible, in large part, by the performances of Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary Louise Parker in what should have been billed as the lead roles. They play the two southern women who's joint story this movie revolves around. Jessica Tandy's role is to relate the story to a lost and longing Kathy Bates (in modern times). Director Jon Avnet ties the two together nicely at times, awkwardly at times, but always (except the end) without doing damage to either. He (and the production crew) bring to life a 'peaceful' southern town very nicely.

The two Marys manage to convey the fullness of a complex relationship with apparent ease. There on-screen chemistry is nothing short of dazzling, and one is left wondering when and how these two actresses carved out such detailed characters without giving voice to their motivations and feelings. While it is rare that dialogue directly addresses the heart and nature of their relationship, what that is becomes clear quickly and transcends the plot of the story to become the real unifying element in this movie. That neither was recognized (in the conventional way) for their performances is unfortunate (which is an understatement).

Sad, but poignant.

[adamjohns-42575 · 7/10 · 28 May 2021]

Despite its darker side, this film is really quite charming. It is very well made and the acting is superb. Yes it is quite depressing in its way, but it is also balanced with a joyous element that helps you get through the rougher stuff.

Jessica Tandy and Kathy Burke give their usual fantastic performances and Mary-Louise Parker is excellent too.

There are ups and downs for the characters as they deal with one tragedy after another, but still manage to keep smiles on their faces. It puts our problems of today to shame, as we mope because we don't like our jobs or we can't afford a new car.

In particular the KKK parts really upset me. I just don't understand the mentality of people that can make others suffer for their alleged differences and I've never been one to accept violence as the answer to anything.

I wonder if there is an underlying lesbian story not being told as the two girls are very close or do we as a society read too much in to everything today? Why can't they just be really good friends? I'll let other viewers decide for themselves, but I think there was something more between them.

An interesting snapshot of 1920's Alabama.

The treasure of being a woman

[Chaves7777 · 10/10 · 23 November 2006]

Sometimes sad and sometimes amusing, "Fried green tomatoes" is the story of the woman's value. A imaginative and touching film about much things... things about life.

The movie talks about of several women that in spite of a hard and sad life caused by the indifference of people who perhaps never had such a big heart as them, they survive thanks to the love and the understanding.

Besides the beautiful plot, the performances of Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Louise Parker and Mary Stuart Masterson are more than special, are unique, exquisite and of course touching.

"Fried Green Tomatoes" is a little of all. So, don't wait just tears, don't wait just laughs, don't wait just an overflow of feelings. This is not only a drama movie. This movie is more than that.

* Excuse me for mistakes in words.

Charming

[ttornak · 7/10 · 6 February 2009]

Gentle movie that doesn't pretend to be more than it is.

It's storytelling time and this time through the eyes of an optimistic, pepper old lady in a home to her younger friend going through a midlife crisis in the 80's. The movie uses this setup to interrupt the main story and inject a bit of humor.

After the loss of a respectively boyfriend/brother two girls overcome their grieve and become intimate friends. From here on, the story handles topics like wife-beating and racism, friendship/love and family-life in equal measures. The plots trots along well and although it doesn't avoid drama, it never drowns itself in it. The end-result is that when almost at the end drama really hits hard, it makes a lot more impact. But even after that point, the movie seems to flow on gently.

For everyone that was young in the 80/90's the actresses aren't unfamiliar and it's rather a shame they haven't been used more.

Don't expect anything epic or world-shattering, however a movie that runs for 2 hours and never gets dull or too silly or needs sledgehammer plot twists, is a gem in my book.

Interesting But Not Overpowering

[sddavis63 · 5/10 · 5 February 2012]

Watching the progression of the relationship between Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker) is fairly interesting. The story is a flashback; a story related by Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy) to Evelyn (Kathy Bates) who befriends Ninny in a local nursing home. So right off the top you can see that there's a pretty decent cast. Also almost from the start you realize that Ninny is a bit of an enigmatic character. Is she or is she not Idgie relating her own story? The movie seems to lead in that direction but never actually makes it explicit, so in the end it's left to the viewer to decide. Basically, this ends up as a murder mystery from the past. Ruth's abusive husband is murdered, and the question is who killed him. Idgie is put on trial for the crime, but the charges are dismissed. The mystery is held pretty well until the end of the movie.

The movie begins with Idgie as a child, and with Ruth as her older brother Buddy's love interest. After Buddy's tragic death, Idgie and Ruth develop a very close friendship - the movie bobs and weaves around the issue of what the nature of their relationship was. Was it just a close friendship? Was it more? My feeling from the movie is that Idgie wanted more than a friendship; Ruth's interests were less clear. I haven't read the book, but I understand that the novel is quite clear in making the point that there was a lesbian romance between the two. Perhaps Hollywood in 1991 was still too nervous about such an issue to make it front and centre; ambiguity was as much as the studios could stomach apparently. We follow both of them through the ups and downs of life as they open a cafe together, whose menu specialty is - you guessed it - fried green tomatoes.

Kathy Bates provided some comedy to the movie as the modern day housewife who goes through a rebirth after meeting Ninny - a rebirth that totally confuses her husband Ed (Gailard Sartain), who doesn't have a clue why Evelyn is changing so much and upsetting their comfortable existence. While she provided comedy, I wasn't really taken in by Bates' character in this. I thought the constant switching between present and past was overdone and not particularly well done to be honest; in a lot of ways the two parts of the stories didn't mesh that well. Aside from Bates, there were a lot of very likable characters from the past, such as Big George (Stan Shaw) and Smokey Lonesome (Timothy Scott.) The identity of Ruth's husband's killer in the end took me by surprise, so that was well done.

My final reaction to this was that it was a basically well made and well acted movie, and at times even an interesting movie as the story unfolded - but that it also seemed like a movie that was anything but overpowering. It didn't leave me awestruck. (5/10)

The Ultimate

[chickskickass · 9/10 · 17 May 2004]

This is such an awesome movie. I remember watching it as a girl, and when I found it in a clearance bin a few months ago, I jumped on it. I watched it then, and now, having watched it again... Mary Stuart Masterson is AMAZING. Tears fall unwittingly down my cheeks during her performance. I was also enchanted by Mary-Louise Parker, and I always always LOVE Kathy Bates. Jessica Tandy is also her usual fit self, and Cecily Tyson was great ("Shoo! I ain't scared of you!") and I could go on for ages about all of them.

I will admit that this is the Ultimate Chick Flick. That title, however, does not detract from its overall quality. The men are more than just caricatures, and the nostalgia and love of the book made its way into the movie. I have to commend Avnet for his efforts.

And now that I am out of intelligent things to say, THIS MOVIE ROCKS MY SOCKS! It's re-watchability and great everything make this the movie (along with Love and Basketball and my Buffy DVDs) that I take with me to college and suggest we watch at every opportunity.

As good as it gets.

[screenman · 10/10 · 18 March 2006]

This movie might easily pass you by. It's quirky, long-winded title suggests something arty or perhaps comical in a needlessly pretentious way. Well; it is arty, and it is often funny, but there isn't a particle of pretentiousness. I got to see it only because my newspaper included it as a free DVD in the weekend issue. But for that, I might still be in ignorance now.

It seems incredible that something so wonderful can be had for nothing.

Kathy Bates plays the role of a mature but still comparatively young woman who has a marriage going nowhere. Her husband has reached the point where he just doesn't seem to care any more. Actually, it's not that he doesn't care; he just hasn't noticed how bad things have got. Like so many couples, they have just let themselves slip into a rut.

However; she has noticed, and means to do something about it. When hints, make-overs and candlelit dinners prove inadequate, she finds unexpected inspiration in a feisty old woman called Ninny Threadgoode.

This woman - played by Jessica Tandy - dilates upon her past, and in particular, a friendship between two young women called Idgie and Ruth (Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary Louise Parker). The movie then shifts between the present-day circumstances of an increasingly emancipated wife, and the flashback reminiscences of her inspiration.

Some have rather misguidedly referred to this movie as a 'chick-flick' as if it were dedicated to a female audience or in some way espoused the cause of feminism. Such opinions do a disservice. To see it in this light, because the principal parts are female, is like dismissing 'The Shawshank Redemption' as a male 'buddy' movie. Both are about two people who's enduring friendship unites them against adversity. Lesbian love is barely hinted at.

Director, Jon Aunet has created a spellbinding work. It has a wonderful, lyrical fidelity, like a Renoir painting, whereby the few moments of comedy appear as small, flagrant brush-strokes in an otherwise pastel completeness. There are moments of heartbreaking and tender subtlety when Thomas Newman's music score expresses human feeling more fluently than the spoken word.

Sound-engineers seldom receive the recognition they deserve. All too easily we take the ambiance of the moment completely for granted. Viewers should pay particular attention to the authenticity of this movie, and marvel. The dreary interior of an unhappy home or the mildness of a sunlit summer-evening carry such authentic presence that one can almost feel the chill of anger, the sweetness of the season.

Some have found fault with this movie somewhere. I confess to being too lachrymose to see anything other than the director's intentions. Excellent script, flawless acting, impeccably chosen music and ambiance to reach out and touch.

This is a truly redeeming experience. Amongst the spoil-heaps of formulaic Hollywood wretchedness, gems like this help remind us that humanity is still worth caring about.

The detail of life is what really gives us meaning.

A point of view from Europe

[skriptaparis · 2 October 2004]

All the emotions are in this movie, brought up by a magnificent cast, a strong and a subtle story, a brilliant editing, perfectly balanced between past/present, funny/sad scenes, and a beautiful photography highlighted by a superb and appropriate music.

Those who despised FGT with their unkind and unfair comments are probably the ones who make a success of action-special FX galore-poor script blockbusters that invade us worldwide. American movies can be also different (open your mind please!). You have the right not to like it, but be respectful to the talent of both the director and the actors/actresses, it is mostly excessive to use words such "trash" or "worst movie ever".

Though a little less strong than "The color purple" (one of my favorite in the genre) on the racism issue and less cliché than "Beaches" (another of my top 10 movies)on the friendship subject, FGT is a gem of a movie to make you that there are more important things than money, as long you have friends, love, and confidence in you.

**spoiler*** Why bother about the end? Make your own opinion with your imagination (I prefer to think Ninny WAS Idgie; look at her malicious smile just before Evelyne asks "Idgie? (Ninny's nodding)Idgie's alive?). And please give up with discussing on the friendship type between the 2 girls, can't you imagine just love without sex for a minute? (and I AM French!!)

Story of friendship

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 7 September 2013]

Timid housewife Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates) befriends old Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy) at a retirement home. She recounts an old depression era story of Idgie Threadgoode (Mary Stuart Masterson) and her friendship with Ruth Jamison (Mary-Louise Parker). Their lives are forever linked by the death of Idgie's brother who was Ruth's boyfriend.

This is based on a novel that takes place in Alabama. The modern story doesn't have quite the punch. The old time story exceeds it in almost every way. It may have been an important part of the novel, but I don't know if the modern story necessarily adds anything to the movie. Both Marys are outstanding in their roles. Their characters are truly the center of this movie.

Comfort food in the form of a film

[davispittman · 10/10 · 15 March 2017]

Fried green tomatoes serves up a serving of feel good entertainment, heartfelt moments, female empowerment, and important messages. This film tells the powerful story of Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy in 1991. Kathy's character meets Tandy's character in a rest home while Kathy's husband is visiting his sick aunt. They quickly form a very special friendship and Jessica begins to tell Kathy stories about two women from years ago. Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary Louise Parker come in then, idgie and Ruth. Kathy starts to get inspired by the stories of idgie and Ruth and she starts to change her life for the better, getting into shape, improving her dull marriage with her husband, and becoming less scared to be herself and speak her mind. The stories told about idgie and Ruth involve going through tragedy, becoming lifelong friends and being there for each other. The performances in this sweet southern film are outstanding! Tandy and Bates are riveting and a joy to watch. Masterson and Parker have incredible on screen friend chemistry and their acting is nothing short of amazing, it's raw and real, you believe every thing they do and say. Cicely Tyson is good here too, a very brave and fearless character. The movie offers up great performances from the entire cast, very well written dialogue, heartwarming stories and a great score. The ending makes me cry happy tears every freaking time! 10/10.

Relationship movie

[ectvox · 7/10 · 18 October 2006]

This movie concerns relationships between an older woman, Ninny Threadgoode and Evelyn Couch in the present and the relationship of Evelyn and her husband Ed. The story brings in the relationship of Ninny Threadgoode's cousin, Idgie and her friend Ruth from the past. It shows that Evelyn and Ed have a stable marriage but that she is not happy and feels neglected. Her husband Ed obviously really loves her, but he is so preoccupied with sports and games on television that he has been taking Evelyn for granted. She becomes obsessed with fixing their marriage and does some ridiculous things in the process. Evelyn meets Ninny Threadgoode while accompanying Ed to visit his great aunt at a nursing home. His aunt has become senile and throws things at Evelyn and so she ends up waiting outside, where she meets the older woman Ninny Threadgoode. Ninny proceeds to tell her about her long lost cousin Idgie Threadgoode and her close friend Ruth. This story entails an accidental death of Ruth's abusive husband who had come to steal her child that she had with him. Her friends helped her drive him off and when he came back later one of them accidentally kills him. This leads to a series of mishaps that culminate in Idgie and her friends being cleared. Then Ruth becomes ill with cancer and Idgie has to say goodbye to her, and she will finish raising Ruth's son alone. Evelyn was so inspired during her meetings with Ninny that she becomes empowered as a person and takes charge of her life and her marriage. Ed has finally come to realize how much Evelyn means to him and he is willing to make changes. Evelyn wants Ninny to come and live with her and Ed after she finds out her house is gone and she is alone. Ed raises objections at first, but soon realizes this is something that Evelyn needs to do and that he can't stand in her way. Evelyn finds Ninny sitting in the yard where her house used to be. She proceeds to tell Ninny just how much their relationship has meant to her. She tells her after a bit that she will be living with her and Ed. Ninny asks her what Ed thought about all this, and she says he'll learn to love it and that Ninny will be a blessing for both of them.

"Life has a funny way of workin' things out."

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 17 May 2018]

Anyone else think that Idgie and Ninny were the same person? I didn't catch any other reviews who broached the topic, but the FAQ page for this movie addresses the topic from opposite perspectives. I'll tell you what I think at the end.

This movie is over a quarter century old and I just got around to it. That happens sometimes and after seeing one like that, I have to wonder why it took so long. I enjoyed this one for it's story telling style and gentle humor. Going in, if the only thing you've seen is the DVD sleeve, you would think the story is about four women of varying ages who become friends during a particular time and place. Instead, it spans the generations with the principal characters and story taking place in the 1920's, while the flashbacks to that era occur roughly during the time the picture was made. It's not an unusual filming technique but here it worked especially well.

This is an unusual love story but not in the traditional sense. Ruth Jamison (Mary-Louise Parker) and Idgie Threadgoode (Mary Stuart Masterson) become fast friends after a bit of a rough start, and their relationship grows stronger over the period of time that transitions from teenage years to young adulthood. The bond is cemented when Idgie and her friend George (Stan Shaw) save Ruth from a disastrous marriage. The plot thickens at this point, and it takes an additional five years to come to terms with the disappearance of Ruth's husband shortly after the incident at Frank Bennett's (Nick Searcy) farm.

The only disconnect I have with the story is the way Idgie and George were arrested for the murder of Frank Bennett. There was absolutely no grounds for the arrest to my thinking. Idgie did make a statement that she would 'kill Frank' if he ever came by to harm Ruth again, but that was stated in the heat of the moment. Sheriff Curtis Smoote (Raynor Scheine) using that as a pretext for arresting Idgie didn't make any sense to me at all. Not only that, but the truck recovered from the swamp had no body in it. That should have been enough to preclude any kind of murder trial. Be that as it may, I got a kick out of the judge dismissing the case because as he rightly proclaimed, it wasn't a case at all. The Reverend Scroggins (Richard Riehle) swearing on a copy of 'Moby Dick' was a neat bonus.

But there was another facet of the cross examination that bothered me as well. When Ruth was pressed by the prosecuting attorney as to the reason why she left her husband, she replied that it was because Idgie was the person she loved the most in the whole world. Why couldn't she have said that it was because her husband beat her? Leaving that out of the script seemed like an unforced error that would have exonerated Ruth favorably. The story didn't need it as it turned out, but still, that bothered me.

Taken all together though, this was a fine story of friendship and loyalty with enough of those little home spun tales thrown in to make it endearing. Like Buddy's (Chris O'Donnell) 'oyster/pearl' analogy and the one about the geese moving the lake out of state. I'm going to remember those for the grand-kids. I think they'll get a kick out of 'em.

Oh, and by the way, even though the book that this film was based on had Idgie and Ninny (Jessica Tandy) as separate people, I think there was enough ambiguity at the finish to make them one and the same in this movie. I think Evelyn (Kathy Bates) would agree.

Touching if flawed tale of Southern women's friendships

[roghache · 6/10 · 7 May 2006]

This is definitely an engaging, amusing, and moving film...a tribute to the power of friendship, viewed through two sets of relationships between women. One is the friendship that develops between a middle aged woman and an elderly lady in a nursing home. The other is the strong bond between two younger women from a bygone era. I appreciated the Southern setting, with its verandahed home, al fresco wedding reception, and so forth. However, I do have a few complaints to be discussed later.

The film relates a story within a story, both set in Alabama. It begins with an unhappily married, insecure, overweight middle aged woman, Evelyn Couch, who is generally trodden upon by others and deals with her problems by eating compulsively. While visiting her husband's aunt in a facility for seniors, she befriends an octogenarian resident named Ninny Threadgoode. Over the course of several months, Ninny gradually relates a tale which causes an amazing transformation in Evelyn. This 'inner story' involves two young women from the 1930's, Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison, who become friends after a dramatic event in Idgie's childhood involving her brother, Buddy, Ruth's beau. The sharing of this experience leads to a warm friendship between the pair. Idgie later rescues Ruth from an abusive relationship with her despicable husband, Frank, and the women set up & operate a diner called the Whistle Stop Cafe, whose specialty is fried green tomatoes.

The actresses are brilliant in their roles. The incredible Jessica Tandy plays Ninny, with Kathy Bates in the role of the unhappy housewife, Evelyn. Marie-Louise Parker is totally endearing as Ruth, the sweet, strait laced, and gentle victim of spousal abuse. Mary Stuart Masterson perfectly captures the wild, feisty, poker playing, no nonsense Idgie. My compliments also to Chris O'Donnell (Buddy), Stan Shaw (Big George), and Cecily Tyson (his mother, Sipsey). The wonderful child actress who portrays the tomboyish younger Idgie bears an uncanny resemblance to the adult version.

Both friendship stories are well captured. Evelyn's newfound older friend, Ninny, has in a relatively short period of time a profound effect on Evelyn's life, causing her to improve her diet & exercise habits and become more assertive in her relationships. Consequently this elicits a tremendous sense of gratitude, such that her loyalty to Ninny might be viewed as surpassing her commitment to her husband (not particularly the best message). As for Idgie and Ruth, they experience a profoundly moving friendship & deep loyalty, sharing laughs (the food fight!) as well as trials and pain. A lesbian relationship is not specified, but I personally detected sexual undertones in Idgie's attitude. Their relationship is ambiguous and it would have been a more effective tribute to the power of friendship if the platonic nature had been made crystal clear. Much as I like Jessica Tandy, I found Evelyn's tale all a wee bit foolish & stereotypical and would just have soon had only ONE story, the 1930's characters.

From my own (female) perspective, my complaints lie mainly with its feminist philosophies. Why must movies about strong relationships between women invariably have the male roles either oppressive monsters or absolute jerks? Here Frank is a horrendous wife beater and Evelyn's husband, Ed, the stereotypical unappreciative, uncaring idiot obsessed with TV sports and beer. I have a bit of news for screenwriters...women happily married to reasonable husbands can have strong friendships, too. Also, it's the classic scenario of portraying the housewife (Evelyn) as unfulfilled without a job outside the home. The parking lot scene is amusing but frankly, I found her Women's Awareness Group utterly ridiculous and an insult to the intelligence of all women. Aside from the feminist issues, the film also gives (predictably) a rather negative portrayal of the Reverend. In any case, this movie should be required viewing for spousal abusers!

Others have compared it to Steel Magnolias, which also revolves around friendships between Southern women. Fried Green Tomatoes explores these relationships in greater depth (especially the one between Ruth & Idgie) but personally, I preferred Steel Magnolias, which focuses on the mother-daughter bond. However, Fried Green Tomatoes is definitely a captivating tale with some unforgettable and heart wrenching moments as well as amusing scenarios, including certain aspects of the ending, which I won't divulge but are something of a hoot!

Brings you in and for a moment you are no longer you.

[bisquitlips-89258 · 10/10 · 16 June 2017]

So few movies have the ability to work the human magic that this film does. From the beginning you cringe, celebrate, heal, mourn, and realistically become a part of the lives of these people (I won't say characters, but people as they become people and no longer actors / characters). Hating and loving the people, there is no way to watch Fried Green Tomatoes and not have it impact you. That is unless your heart is scarred and become calloused to the point where you don't let anything in anymore.

The ins and outs, ups and downs... and oh yes.. the BBQ! It shape shifts you and draws you in. And for a moment of your life you are no longer you, but one of them. Just watch it. And if you would like to escape for 2 hours this is how you do it.

So Hollywood! Why won't you, can't you, make movies like this anymore? Its budget was 11 million and it grossed 13 times that much. I am sure it's not the money that stops you. I am not sure you have the talent to make a movie with the magic and the power of FGT.

half of a great film

[NateWatchesCoolMovies · 6/10 · 4 December 2016]

Fried Green Tomatoes is one of those films that presents two narratives, simultaneously woven together and unbound by the laws of past and present. A character from the present tells tales of the past, and the film jumps ever back and forth between the two, until a connection emerges. You've seen it in stuff like The Notebook, where it works beautifully, and both stories support each other. That's the issue with this film: One of the narratives is lovely and works quite well. The other? Mmm…not so much. Kathy Bates plays a hospice worker in a retirement home who is charmed by stories of life, freedom, injustice and romance from long ago, all told with wit and passion by an excellent Jessica Tandy. She tells of life growing up during the early 1900's in the American southwest, of free spirited tomboy Idgie (a fierce and emotional Mary Stuart Masterson), the girl she loves (Mary Louise Parker, radiant) and the whirlwind of trouble and conflict going on around them. Idgie lost her brother and best friend (a short lived and very young looking Chris O 'Donnell) to a horrible accident, and sort of has a lost pup complex, holding on to Parker for dear life and trying her best to extricate her from an abusive relationship with her monster of a husband (Nick Searcy is evil incarnate). It's whimsical, touching and flavored with just the right touches of sadness and danger. Now, the story with Bates in the present just feels aloof and silly. The scenes with her and Tandy fare better than glimpses of her home life and attempts to empower and change her for the better. Don't get me wrong, I love that idea, the notion of inspiration transcending time and the ability to help others simply with the spoken word and the wisdom of the past, but it just didn't work in this case. As for the scenes in the past, I fell hard for them. Masterson is a terrific actress who usually gets saddled with light, fluffy roles, but here gets a chance to let some raw emotion out. Parker is more reigned in but every bit as soulful, as the girl in a situation no one should have to endure, her soul practically screaming out through those beautiful brown eyes. I suppose you could say that it's half of a great film, that couldn't quite pull off it's own narrative flow.

Love-it-or-hate-it

[HotToastyRag · 1/10 · 18 December 2018]

There are two types of people in this world: those who love Fried Green Tomatoes and those who hate it. There really is no middle ground when this movie is concerned. In fact, you can probably use this as a qualification while picking potential friends!

Kathy Bates is in a stale marriage and feels lost and alone. She meets Jessica Tandy, who tells her a story-shown to film audiences through flashbacks with Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary-Louise Parker, and Chris O'Donnell-about a "fictional" young woman who grew up during the Great Depression in the South. It's supposed to be a huge surprise that Jessica's story is actually her own, but it's so painfully obvious from the moment she opens her mouth that anyone who doesn't figure it out probably won't figure out that I've just spoiled the surprise. Through listening to Jessica-and continually being too stupid to figure out it's a true story-Kathy gets inspired to learn to love herself and live a more fulfilling life. There are some who will find her journey touching and exciting, and there are some who will think it's trite, predictable, and unrealistic.

If you like female bonding, commiserating over "typical" bad husbands, and the idea that an interaction with a stranger can inspire you to change your life, you'll probably sign up for Team-Tomatoes. If you don't chuckle over watered-down, soccer-Mom jokes and think female exploratory classes where the members are required to get to know themselves by looking at their private parts in mirrors are absurd, you probably won't sign up for Team-Tomatoes. Go ahead and form your own anti-team, and let me know what you name it so I can join up.