A Fish Called Wanda is a really, really, really funny movie. It has slapstick, crudeness, crime, betrayal, and dour British people! This sort of film is really best suited to a more mature audience, as there are many, many instances of strong language, a subplot where a man with a stutter is badly mistreated, and several very steamy (albeit ridiculous) sexual situations, inclding harrassment. Until a teen is old enought to appreciate this movie for what it is: an adult's obnoxious, immature, and totally un PC flick, they're not ready for A Fish Called Wanda.
A Fish Called Wanda
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Crime caper with a wicked edge. Not for kids.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 15–16
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of A Fish Called Wanda was written by Elliot Panek
Parents need to know that there's sadistic treatment of a stuttering character by his colleague that's more brutal than comic. Dogs and fish are killed; there are attempts to make these deaths cartoon-ish, but they are liable to disturb children. There is a fair amount of cursing and brief simulated sex. Talk of sex is frank and explicit. A thief gets away with her crime without being punished. A character apparently abandons his wife.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the appropriateness of Wanda and Archie's actions, particularly Archie's infidelity and Wanda's criminal behavior. Do you think it was okay for Archie to run off with Wanda? What kind of consequences would these characters face in real life for their actions?
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More on A Fish Called Wanda
What’s the Story?
After pulling off a daring daylight diamond heist, a team of theives -- including sexy Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis), unpredicatable Otto (Kevin Kline), and mild-mannered Ken (Michael Palin) -- starts double-crossing one another in order to claim the loot for themselves. An unsuspecting barrister (John Cleese) gets pulled into the fray, and as lying begets more lying, it all turns into a delightfully loopy farce.
Is It Any Good?
A FISH CALLED WANDA is a British crime caper that features a comedic tour de force performance by Kline. Cleese's character is a distant cousin to the one he played in beloved Britcom Fawlty Towers, a brow-beaten husband whose efforts to hide an indiscretion result in hilarity. These familiar situations benefit immensely from Cleese's skill; he carries off such scenes with aplomb.
Kline, though, is the real star here -- his elevation of obnoxiousness to a high art won him a well-deserved Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. His amalgamation of overconfidence and kinetic energy is so extreme, his shifts in manner from faux-Buddhist to faux-Italian so abrupt, that you can't help but laugh. Without him, the movie would be a bit plain, with the familiar twists and turns of the double-cross jewel-thief escapade. Those expecting more silliness from Monty Python alums might be disappointed by the film's over-reliance on suspense and the characters' reflections on what it means to be British.
Movie Details
Studio: MGM/UA, Director: Charles Crichton
Run time: 108 minutes
Theatrical release: 7/7/1988, DVD release: 2/3/2000
MPAA Rating: R for Restricted
Run time: 108 minutes
Theatrical release: 7/7/1988, DVD release: 2/3/2000
MPAA Rating: R for Restricted
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Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it
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I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
ONE MINUTE: Ha! Ha! Ha! THE NEXT: OH MY @$#$! That's #@!$% hillirious!
It made my laugh and laugh and laugh! I thought that it was so enjoyable! At the end of term, I watched it with 2 friends and one laughed and laughed at the steamy scene between Otto and Wanda. It has one strong-ish sex scene (see above) and some others, but is great!
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I rate this title off for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
Funnier than anything that comes out today, but not as good as Monty Python
The CSM review for A Fish Called Wanda is a bit harsh, both in terms of how appropriate the movie is, and in terms of how good it is. To start with, it's a very funny movie with great performances by Kevin Kline, John Cleese, and Michael Palin. I wasn't so big on Jamie Lee Curtis, but she didn't do badly. I thought it was a very clever, witty film and not the bland comedy that the review here seems to convey. As for appropriateness, well, there is a good amount of language and sex, but the sex isn't explicit. At one point John Cleese is undressing (a very funny scene) but you don't actually see anything, except for maybe his bare behind. Honestly, I think this is appropriate for mature 14 year olds and up.
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