Fried Green Tomatoes review

 Number 680 on the top 1000 films of all time is the comedy drama Fried Green Tomatoes.

Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates) is a middle-aged housewife stuck in a loveless marriage in 1980's Alabama. She and her husband Ed regularly visit Ed's aunt in the local nursing home. It is here she meets and befriends the elderly Ninny Threadegoode (Jessica Tandy) who fascinates her with stories of her youth.

This was a delightful tale of empowerment even if it was a little superficial. What made it so good? The always great Kathy Bates. This was a couple years before she won her best actress Oscar but you could see her skill as an actress. She made Evelyn Couch such a likeable character. I loved seeing her gain confidence and transform from an old-fashioned, timid Southern Belle into a kickass independent woman.

This is all aided by the story Ninny tells which runs parallel to Evelyn's story. Ninny talks about the relationship between the black sheep of the Threadegoode family Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) and her relationship with family friend Ruth Jamison (Mary-Louise Parker.)

Ruth is engaged to Idgie's brother Buddy (Chris O'Connell) but after he is killed in a train accident, Idgie becomes sullen and withdrawn. With the help of Ruth, she starts to open up and enjoy life again. Masterson and Parker had great chemistry together. The relationship of their characters mirrored Evelyn and Ninny's relationship. Tandy and Bates were similarly great together.

Idgie and Ruth's storyline took place in 1930s Alabama long before the civil rights movement. Idgie and Ruth were both friendly toward their black service staff more so than some of their neighbours.

 If I were to criticise the film for anything, it would be for an oversimplified portrayal of the tenuous race relations of the time. The film dipped its toe into this difficult subject with portrayals of the KKK but it all felt very superficial and surface level. It needed more depth

That notwithstanding I did enjoy this film. It was spear headed by Bates and Tandy's great performances.