This is one of those films that adds up to a whole lot more than the sum of its parts.This movie was based on a stage play of the same name "Fish Don't Blink". It has a live theater feel and experience that is only made greater on film. That is not always true of adaptations.It would be a challenge to pick a better film cast. This is some of the best work you will see from each of the cast members. Casting Will Wheaton as Jimmy was a brilliant choice. His delivery is always spot on.If you like Lea Thompson before you see her as Clara, you are going to be building monuments to her after watching her perform. I'm ashamed to say that I did not recognize Richard Grieco, who plays Pete in the movie. I know him now, and already have his films on my must see list.I could spend a lot of time mentioning every single cast member, and each one deserves individual praise. I'm not going to take that amount of time. You will just have to see this movie to see how good they all are. If I was just a little more spontaneous I just might jump in the car and visit the place where this was filmed. I understand why films like this get a 'cult' following.For me, it was a hit from first line to last. A sleeper, but a rare gem too.You need a certain dry wit or droll way of looking at life, but if you have that, you will watch this movie more than once or twice. It is that good. I researched every cast member, the location of the shoot, everything. I wanted more.I have not had this much fun since the first time I saw Rocky Horror Picture Show. It really is that good. Trust me. I have never lied to you before. :-)

I was hooked after a few minutes of watching. I did not watch from the beginning but was channel surfing the TV. I tuned into the film and saw Clara talking to a fish and her brother trying to arrange for her institutionalization for being mentally impaired. Although this plot seems to want to play out predictably, it develops because Clara's brother Jimmy has issues of his own that seem to overshadow those of his sister. Those who drop into the diner that these siblings inhabit and service have issues of their own that require resolution but only seem to compound the complexity of plot surrounding the siblings. The audience and the characters cannot anticipate what will happen next. The character's personalities are predictable but they act unpredictably because they are forced into situations where they have to make desperate decisions. The plot, characters and dialog are believable and realistic which makes the film an enjoyable character study in human nature even though the plot may be totally fictional. Because of the continuity of the character development and realistic dialog and plot, I give the film an excellent rating and recommendation.

It's funny--I can totally agree with the criticisms levelled at this film. It is derivative and some of the supporting performances are way too hammy and one-dimensional, but I'm a sucker for movies and plays set in diners. I like the idea of strangers trapped together in a self-contained environment and having to work out their lives among people they would probably only meet on the road or in a roadside café or a bus depot. I found the situation interesting and, while the characters were put through some very stereotypical paces, I was interested in what happened next. Maybe it was because it was on television at a time when I needed a break from all the Olympics coverage; maybe it's because "The Petrified Forest" is one of my favorite vintage films, but I cut this film a lot of slack--more than I probably would have if I had had to pay to go see it--and I enjoyed it and would watch it again. Do I wish some of the acting had been better? Do I wish some of the direction had been tighter? Do I wish there had been a few more surprises in the plot? Sure. That said, every film doesn't have to be a big-budget blockbuster or an exercise in searing, probing character development. Sometimes it's just fun to chillax with what in the old days would have been a B movie second feature. I thought Grieco and Thompson brought a lot to roles that weren't written to be as deep or shaded as they could have been. I thought Dee Wallace Stone and the older gentleman playing a diner customer were wasted in basically bit parts. Wil Wheaton should probably never try to play a drunk scene and the actress playing the female on the run appeared not to have as much experience as might have been necessary to help her make more of an underwritten role, but all the actors were still interesting to watch. Be sure and stay tuned for the credits--they give more information about what happened to the characters.

"Fish Don't Blink" is the story of a brother and his younger sister (30 year-old Jimmy-Wil Wheaton and Clara-Lea Thompson) who run a diner in the desert named the Nautilus. The film is almost a remake of 1993's "Benny and Joon"; as Clara is a bit simple-minded/dysfunctional and Pete is agonizing over having her institutionalized. He is also restless to move somewhere more exciting and get on with his life.The character with the most screen time is Charlie, a huge catfish they keep in a glass tank inside the diner. Clara has frequent conversations with Charlie and some sort of ESP that allows her to eavesdrop on other people thoughts and distant conversations.The Johnny Depp "Benny and Joon" character is named Pete (Richard Grieco) and he ends up at the diner with Francis (Tonie Perensky) when their car breaks down. Francis is being chased by two gangsters, she witnessed a murder in Las Vegas and hopes to hide out in Mexico.John Duncan plays Harry James, a small-time used car dealer and real estate agent. Duncan will remind you of Mr. Haney from "Green Acres"."Fish Don't Blink" will appeal to fans of offbeat comedy as long as they are not looking for something original. The sequencing is a bit off which undermines any attempt to build up some suspense, although these failings will help you appreciate the impact of good editing the next time you see some. The performances are a mixed bag, Grieco and Duncan are solid, Wheaton is a bit weak and Perensky is awful. While I have never been a Lea Thompson fan, Director Chuck DeBus gets a fantastic performance from her, probably her best ever. While inspired by Mary Stuart Masterson's Joon, Clara is more fun and Thompson brings some great comic moments to the film. Who would have imagined that she was capable of this level of performance,The script is the product of multiple writers and is extremely uneven (big surprise). Perhaps there was only one talented writer, who wrote all the stuff for Duncan and Thompson then turned over the script to the marginal guys. Thompson's performance can't entirely carry the film, but she and Duncan are entertaining enough to make it worth watching. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.