Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

Just finished rewatching that absolute masterpiece after way too many years

Anyone else seen it lately?

So here’s the deal: it’s about two women—the wild child Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) and her friend Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker), who ran this little diner back in the day where you could grab some killer BBQ and coffee while people laughed, fell in love, or even witnessed a murder...

Then there's Evelyn (Kathy Bates), a middle-aged woman stuck in a pretty miserable marriage and struggling with her own insecurities. While visiting a nursing home, she crosses paths with this sweet old lady named Ninny (Jessica Tandy). Before long, they start hitting it off. Ninny starts opening up about her crazy life—her first love, a friendship that actually meant something, and yeah, even a murder. Seeing how gutsy and stubborn young Ninny used to be really hits Evelyn hard, eventually giving her the kick in the pants she needs to finally take control of her own life.

It’s a total tear-jerker about a real friendship that can weather just about anything. Mary Stuart Masterson is fantastic as the younger Ninny, and having Oscar winners Jessica Tandy and Katy Bates in the mix just makes the whole performance legendary.

I remember this movie. It was great, though I haven't seen it in years. If my memory serves me right—even if they didn't spell it out on screen—it felt like Idgie and Ruth were actually much more than just friends.

Ashley Fox62 said:I remember this movie. It was awesome, but I haven't watched it in years. From what I recall, even if they didn't spell it out, I feel like Idgie and Ruth were actually way more than just friends.

Yeah, you're totally right.

A genuinely impressive piece of cinema. To be honest, I’ve always had an aversion to tomatoes (don't ask me why), so the title initially put me off; I was under the impression the whole thing would just be some sappy, sentimental melodrama.

But in reality, it is an incredibly vibrant, life-affirming work that I found myself thoroughly enjoying.

A few grievances, however:
1. The murder scene wasn't edited well; it felt somewhat clumsy. I particularly take issue with the director choosing to repeat that sequence—that kind of repetitive editing generally irritates me in films.

2. The entire subplot involving Ruth falling ill feels a bit rushed and poorly executed. It’s as if Ruth is suddenly, inexplicably, terminal 😕 ...It would have been handled with much more grace if they had planted some subtle symptoms earlier in the film, perhaps some minor indications of cancer or something similar.

Seven out of ten.

Caught this one on TV shortly after it hit theaters. It was a huge hit back then and stayed in rotation for a while.

Overall? Good flick. Might give it another watch sometime just to refresh my memory. 🙂

Hey there. 🙂

Truly an exceptional film. I find myself quite eager to give it another viewing.

So, I finally sat down and watched this tonight 🙂

Such a great flick, honestly pretty ahead of its time. At first, I was bracing myself for some gritty story about debauchery, since everyone seems to be living these hollow, miserable lives—at least according to those movie posters from back then, which always leaned into that theme 😬

But nope! Instead, we get these two awesome parallel storylines that really dive deep into much more complex stuff. I actually found myself wishing they’d been a bit more explicit about the chemistry between Idgie and Ruth... I mean, come on, just lean into it! Give us more substance! 😁

And man, Kathy Bates was absolutely killing it during that era. Such a beautiful way to weave her character's growth together, watching her evolve from a trapped, unhappy woman in her 40s into someone who finally takes the reins of her own life.

Overall, it's this vibrant, funny drama that perfectly captures that 90s vibe of, "How do I actually get my life together when I'm totally stuck?" Sometimes you just need to hear a truly moving story told by an extraordinary person to make you want to go out and live it all for yourself...

That's just how the story goes, if you take it metaphorically. It's a total breath of fresh air 🙂

Larry Walker24 said:Just rewatched that incredible movie after all these years.

Anyone else seen it lately?

Yeah, I love it. Usually pair it with
Driving Miss Daisy
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097239/

corrina
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109484/

help
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/

If anyone has recommendations for similar films—something warm yet grounded in reality—please share.

boldnomad45 said:If anyone else has some recommendations for those warm, feel-good movies that actually make you feel something about life, please drop them here..

The Ice Storm (1997) - Thousand Acres