Fishbowl California is a 2018 drama about a man struggling to find purpose in life who is enlightened by a drunk ailing widow.
Ever get that kind of push-me-pull-you thing going on when you start a movie, where it just doesn’t feel right and the more you watch the more it seems just not your thing, even when a few good moments keep popping up that keep you watching? That’s Michael A. MacRae‘s latest independent comedy Fishbowl California, a film that is of two diverse poles that seem in a short battle for dominance, though it’s unclear if there really is any winner. It works hard to be what it thinks it wants to be, but is by its end, a strange mix of uncertainty.
Hapless loser Rodney (Steve Olson) is the very definition of dead end. He’s unkempt, uninterested, unimaginative, and unemployed. He’s so inept, he can’t even bother to name his goldfish. Somehow, he’s involved with the very lovely and dynamic Tess (Katrina Bowden, in what amounts to a cameo), a girl with ambition and drive, though after six months, has had enough and cheats on him with a pilot (in truth she’d had enough after one month, but gave it a run for five more). With nothing left, living in his car and his phone battery dead, he ends up in front of hopelessly don’t-give-a-damn drunk and widow June (Katherine Cortez), who offers him work and shelter, and as time passes, they find a connection that becomes beneficial to them both.
Quirky down and outs are a standby in movies and lovable losers who turn the corner have long been favorites at the box office, and so it that Fishbowl California has the right elements to potentially find the marks. Unfortunately, the film is far too loose with these characters and and works far harder to be goofy when it really should stick to the drama, which it does far better. For example, when Rodney walks unannounced into Tess’ house – fish in hand – thinking he will move in, she’s naturally half-naked with a man in cuffs. This leads to an awkward “comedic” conflict that ends with Rodney leaving a little gift in the toilet bowl tank, and what you’re thinking it is, is exactly what it is. His point of view? She dumped him so, well, he um, he ‘dumps’ her. It’s an example of how the movie can’t seem to find its footing, mostly because Rodney is just a wholly unlikable person.
On the other side of that is June, a broken character in need of well, nothing. She’s ornery and angry, and yet unlike Rodney, has earned that disposition. While she’s a bit underwritten, the screenplay putting more of its weight on Rodney, Cortez does good work in giving the woman some depth. This gives the movie its only real saving grace with June vulnerable and racked with history. It’s just too bad the movie pulls its punches, constantly reminding us that we’re watching a ‘comedy,’ keeping the movie teetering with instability. It’s never quite convincing that Rodney comes to care for June, especially since there is already June’s hard-working and caring daughter Olivia (Jenna Willis) left to the peripheral who is a much better person to have in that role. Why isn’t this movie about these two people?
It’s this uneven dichotomy that ultimately trips up Fishbowl California, a film with loads of potential that keeps pulling you in close with some authentic emotional moments before pushing you away with its contrived writing, easy comedy, and all too safe ending. Many will surely find something to like about this odd relationship, as there is some inspiration here somewhere, however it’s mostly lost to a story that can’t make up its mind what it wants to be.