FISHING WITH GANDHI

FISHING WITH GANDHI
Produced and Directed by Gabe Weisert
Written by John Reichmuth, James Reichmuth, Gabe Weisert, William Birdthistle
Edited by Zachary Bennett
Director of Photography - Matthew Bennett
Roy - James Reichmuth
Gil - John Reichmuth
Danno - Dan Klein
Giles - William Birdthistle
Stephen - Gabe Weisert
In FISHING WITH GANDHI, viewers don't learn the meaning of the film's title until the closing moments when backwoods-bizarro twins Roy and Gil, who personify every acid trip I ever took in college, share with the meek hitchhiker Danno one of their patented back alley wrestling moves. To sum up, "Fishing with Gandhi" is all about peace, love, and putting your fishing pole through some poor schmuck's hipsack.
That's also not a bad description of FISHING WITH GANDHI, the movie. It covers the tough issues we all face including harmonious equality, complex inter-personal relationships, and reasons why a nuclear can of wup-ass needs to be opened every now and then. Think of MY DINNER WITH ANDRE as told by Andy Kauffman.
Like much of Kauffman's humor, FISHING WITH GANDHI can be too subtle for its own good. In fact, probably the only time I let out a good laugh was during that final, singular outburst of aggression, something the movie continuously built towards during its laborious 70 minute running time.
Watching FWG, I was reminded of that old gag of Kauffman's where people would arrive for his concerts expecting Kauffman's Tony Clifton character, or Latka from "Taxi", but all Kauffman would do is read classic literature until all but a few worn-out audience members were left. A form of anti-comedy, the joke comes from the audience who actually endures the comedians torturous recitation, much to the comedian's amusement.
FWG is the Reichmuth brothers version of that very same gag. Their characters, Roy and Gil, are every bit as deadpan as Kauffman's creations ever were. Like the Tony Clifton, a lounge singer who couldn't carry a note, Roy and Gil are factoid-spouting Encyclopedia Americana's of misinformation. From puppy diseases to funerals to car engine repair, the two prattle on endlessly without having the slightest notion as to what they are saying. The punchline comes at the end, when the "Fishing with Gandhi" move is finally unleashed. Low and behold, the one thing these poster children for abortion actually know how to do is squash a guys nuts. In their travels with the weary Danno, it's almost as if they've been setting the poor man up the entire time just to unleash Gandhi's crushing love.
How two men such as Roy and Gil came into company with the granola-friendly Danno is exposition that director Weisert mostly leaves on the cutting-room floor, and wisely so. The few flashbacks shown of Danno's family tragedy and his need to slow life down for a few days are used to break up the master shot format of scene construction. Weisert lets his camera roll, often for minutes at a time, without cutting the action. He lets the Reichmuth's do their shtick and it's amazing at how far the two men can carry their scenes. If only they went somewhere with those scenes.
As Roy and Gil, the Reichmuth's carry their cockeyed humor over onto the DVD's commentary track which they share with Weisert and Dan Klein, who plays Danno. Even here, the men have nothing much worthwhile or accurate to say, but unlike the film's emotionally closed Danno, Weisert is quick to react and address the Reichmuth's comments. Just like the movie, this isn't very funny either.
Along with other standard DVD features, including a short interview, an outtake, and a few trailers, is an animated cartoon featuring Roy and Gil. Far more humorous then the film it supplements, the short places the characters into the context they belong, that of caricatures who are just as overblown in appearance as they are in approach. The broader approach helps generalize the humor for easier mass consumption. It might have been helpful is Weisert took the same approach to the movie. As it stands, the movie feels like it was made for the amusement of the filmmakers and not the world at large. For what it's worth, I'm sure Andy Kauffman would applaud their efforts.
www.RoyAndGil.com
York Entertainment