Fishnet

The nicest thing I can say about Fishnet is that it’s not the worst WLW movie I’ve ever seen. But it is in the bottom ten.

Fishnet’s lead characters are burlesque dancers and lesbian couple, Sulie and Trixie. At work, they witness a mob hit. So, they decide to not tempt fate and get the hell out of dodge. The couple seeks refuge with Sulie’s parents in a small, Southern town. The California attitude that Trixie in particular possesses is at odds with the traditional values of the town. For no particular reason, Sulie and Trixie decide to pass the time by putting on a burlesque show at a small bar. They are joined by two local women, Marylou and Angela. But between the burlesque show and Sulie and Trixie’s relationship, feathers get ruffled in the town and the women draw enough attention that the mob learns of their hideout.

There are a lot of problems with Fishnet. The strangest and perhaps primary issue is how surprisingly toothless the film is. This small, independent film about lesbian burlesque dancers has no edge, no bite and no unique point of view. I cannot understand why this is the case. Fishnet was never going to attract a mainstream audience. And it certainly has the vibe of a film primarily created to cater to a small audience of friends. But that vibe is watered down so much. Fishnet is borderline family-friendly. In an attempt to appeal to a broader audience, the film actually ceases to have any specific audience. Leaning more into subversive content and in-jokes would have suited the film well. Fishnet really needed to watch a John Waters film, grow a pair of genitals and take the risk in alienating some people with the payoff of actually appealing to others.

Additionally, there’s never full commitment from the film. There’s a constant wink and nod energy towards its own shittiness which feels defensive more than creative. Fishnet never goes full out in its ambition or execution. It’s always holding back. Maybe the actors and crew of the film thought it would appear embarrassing if they put their all into this crap project. And they’re not necessarily wrong. But by never fully committing, they still appear embarrassing and additionally, not talented.

Much of the humour in Fishnet is unkind. There’s jokes about fat people, eating disorders, some gay slurs and this weird subplot involving Sue’s brother. He’s simultaneously effeminate and also a pervert. This is a comedy where every character is unlikable. A comedy made up of a cast of bastards can absolutely be good and funny. But not if nothing anyone says is funny. It’s all either cliche, unkind or both.

When the film tries to get serious, it obviously doesn’t pan out well either. There’s subplots about Trixie having an eating disorder, Marylou’s abusive husband and Sulie’s homophobic parents. None of this is handled well or even with any focus. In a comedic film inept at being comedic, it’s doubly inept at being dramatic.

Fishnet is a pretty painful one to sit through. It’s cheap, cliche, unkind and lacks any clear audience. The film neuters itself so much by unwillingness to fully commit and unwillingness to provide any actual edge. It’s similar in a lot of ways to a much better film about queer people in a small town: To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. Just watch that movie. Even if you’ve already seen it, just watch it again. Don’t watch Fishnet. There’s nothing here for anyone.

Overall rating: 2.0/10

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