Frenemy Aka Little Fish, Strange Pond: a Movie Review

Catch any good movies, lately? Frenemy, aka Little Fish, Strange Pond, will certainly fit the bill. Rated R for violence, adult situations, and graphic language, this is no movie for kids. For adults though, get ready for a fun ride. Don't you just love a movie that doesn't let viewers guess the point of the plot, half-way through?

Who stars in Frenemy, aka Little Fish, Strange Pond? Matthew Modine as Mr. Jack, Callum Blue as Sweet Stephan, and Adam Baldwin as Tommy lead this cinematic adventure. Other stars make their appearance. Among those are Zach Galifianakis as Bucky, Paul Adelstein as Philly, and the brilliant Don McManus as Dennis Rivers, along with a host of other acting talent, all of which are listed here at IMDb, except for a cameo from Ron Jeremy. The director is Gregory Dark, and written by Robert Dean Klein. The US release was in 2009.

Enough with the stars, tell us about Frenemy aka Little Fish, Strange Pond! Frenemy is a dark comedy, which seems to center around Sweet Stephan (Blue) and Mr Jack (Modine) as they aimlessly wander around Los Angeles and discuss the various topics of love, death, fate, faith, and philosophy. We're not told of anything that tells of the character's origins, and maybe that's exactly as it should be.

As the story evolves, the opening scenes make more sense, and viewers come to understand there is much more to the movie, as long as proper attention is paid right up to the end. Sometimes, creative genius might strike the average viewer as "odd." But patience and attention are rewarded richly. With most movies, I can guess the plot early, and disappointment always follows a successful guess. With Frenemy, I missed that guess not once, but twice. Might I take this chance to also thank the writer for lampooning daytime TV talk shows?

Those who like run-of-the-mill, predictable, plots filled with characters lacking depth, might consider this film a bit "artsy." But then again, lots of us have no problem with "artsy." The overall storyline is worth the effort, and fans of dark comedy might just agree with me saying this flick is one of the best in a long time. Add to these points, an awesome soundtrack, like a cherry on top.

Of course, there are still some flaws about Frenemy, aka Little fish, Strange Pond. Nothing is perfect, ever. The negatives I want to point out are nothing to do with the movie itself. It's with the marketing. See, the box for the movie seems to imply that Bucky (Galifianakis) would play a more central role in the movie. Such is not the case. Zach Galifianakis seems to offer not much more than a supporting role, and perhaps should not have been so prominently displayed on the packaging. Also, what's the deal with titling the movie both Frenemy, and Little Fish, Strange Pond? Outside of that, make it a point to watch this movie, as soon as you can get to your nearest RedBox, or add it to your NetFlix queue.

Sources:
Personal experience, and
IMDb