Written and directed by Sheryl Glubok, co-written by Donald Rae, with 40 receding in the rearview mirror, a mother of two gets a career-making opportunity. All she has to do is chaperone a narcissistic, literary legend 350 miles to an awards ceremony in Telluride. What could possibly go wrong? Starring: Natalie Gold, Jeremy Swift, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Marin Hinkle and Katie Finneran.
Going into a cheesy, old-school, road-trip comedy with hijinks, coincidences and accidents aplenty, the path to success lies with the tone, if it’s too silly or it takes itself too seriously, it will fall flat, you have to find the middle ground and Sheryl Glubok and Donald Rae did a good job of that with Welcome to the Fishbowl. Starting out it feels sincere, the atmosphere is solid, it’s not overly pushing that comedy note or the sentimentality, the balance works. Having that foundation of a good introduction makes all the difference. It gives you a reason to invest in this story.
Something that is in no small part due to the performance from Natalie Gold. In Elizabeth she creates a relatable and sympathetic lead, she’s easy to follow and her journey through this chaotic road trip feels natural. While Jeremy Swift’s Storm is very performative and loud, so initially it does unbalance the tone of the comedy, but his performance definitely settles in gradually, and the longer Swift spends on screen with Gold, the better he is. The chemistry between the two of them as an unlikely, begrudging duo only gets better with time, it’s silly and fun.
Although, the real surprise here comes in the form of Katie Finneran, who is an absolute joy as an unexpected saviour. The generous, kind and bubbly energy that she brings to Welcome to the Fishbowl is really enjoyable and it’s only a shame she doesn’t have an even bigger part to play. The style is otherwise as you’d expect for this type of film, it’s solid work and the progression follows a classic playbook. It can be a touch rocky and not every plot point works perfectly, the marriage element is a bit more of a distraction than an addition, but it does chime well with a quintessential style of American comedy.
Welcome to the Fishbowl has its flaws here and there but it is a solid piece of entertainment. Natalie Gold gives a great performance and makes a surprisingly good pair with Jeremy Swift, with their characters satisfyingly being the opposite of one another on the surface but finding a lot in common as they’re forced to spend time together. Katie Finneran was an excellent addition, and of course Marin Hinkle never disappoints. It could perhaps use a touch more personality or a distinct quality to its style, but it works and it’s a good time.
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