Academy Award winners Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy star with Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker in this comic, heartwarming tale of family, friendship and murder in rural Georgia. In a Southern nursing home, a f... more »eisty resident and old local fixture named Ninny Threadgoode (Tandy) befriends Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates) a depressed housewife and stirs her to action with an inspirational tale. She tells the story of a transcendent friendship between two young women living in Georgia in the 1930s, Idgie Threadgoode (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Ruth (Mary Louise Parker), who forge a powerful bond after witnessing a terrible tragedy together. The two women open a cafe (where fried green tomatoes are a house specialty) together in their small Southern town of Whistle Stop and manage to survive the hardships of life, despite racism, prejudice and the pressures of trying to live their lives as individuals in a strict and close-minded Southern society. Their friendship lasts through many ups and downs over the years, helping one of the women through an abusive marriage, and buoying both of them through the gossip and jealousy of those small-minded people who try to control their lives. Based on Fannie Flagg's best-selling novel FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT THE WHISTLE STOP CAFE.« less
This started out slow while you figured out the plotline and then it took off. Kathy Bates, Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker shine in this as do other actors/actresses. A must watch!
Wayne F. (WWIIpfc) from COLORADO SPGS, CO Reviewed on 10/28/2011...
Good acting. great story. The ending tells it all. You'll want to see it a second time.
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Renee M. from SATSUMA, AL Reviewed on 10/27/2011...
One of the best movies EVER!!! This is a movie for a mother and daughter to watch together I think. But the whole family could watch it also. I love love loved it. The story and the plot and the conclusion are wonderful. It doesnt get boring. Lots of things going on. I loved it. I recommend this movie to everyone.
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Tanya B. from SUNDANCE, WY Reviewed on 9/7/2011...
Thank you so much! Wonderful movie!
2 of 5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Kendra C. from CLEARWATER, FL Reviewed on 6/3/2010...
As far as I'm concerned, this is a classic. Most girls growing up in the 80s saw and enjoyed this movie, and it's still good today. Guys can totally enjoy it too. The story is being told by an elder lady to a younger lady who is having problems asserting herself and taking control of her life. You get two stories in one - the one that is happening "currently" and the one that the lady is telling (which is really the star of the show). Mary Stuart Masterson is wonderful in this movie.
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Chad B. (abrnt1) from CABERY, IL Reviewed on 4/16/2010...
Nothing like cannibalism in a mainstream chick flick
1 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Jazmyn C. Reviewed on 3/18/2010...
Makes me cry like a baby...every single time
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Lori P. (mickymouse) from SPANISH FORK, UT Reviewed on 10/3/2009...
this movie has an incredible message of love and friendship.
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Sharon C. (sharonc9630) from KNOXVILLE, TN Reviewed on 6/21/2008...
This movie is wonderful. Loved the characters and the relationships that develop before our eyes. I usually sit down and watch it if it comes on TV, although I have seen it at least a dozen times ! :)
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Aimee M. (AimeeM) Reviewed on 2/5/2008...
I do like this movie, but for anyone sensitive: bring a box of tissues when you see it! :)
(sniff sniff) it's wonderful! :D
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
Awesome Movie!
Katie | PA , USA | 10/16/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My husband had been asking me to watch this movie with him for years - it was one of his favorites (from before we met), even though he continually called it a "chick flick"... I was hesitant to watch it because I had the idea that it would be a sad movie - and I just don't like movies that leave me blubbering & saddened for the rest of the day.
However, last weekend we finally sat down and watched it together, and I was pleasantly surprised! Although there was 1 or 2 parts that led me to cry, it was not what I would categorize as a "sad" movie - in fact, when I really think about it, it was quite uplifting...
"Fried Green Tomatoes" weaves the life experiences of 3 very different women - 2 of them lived their youth about 50 or 60 years ago, and one is currently 40 something years old.
The story revolves around an "old" woman who is sharing her & her friends life experiences with the younger, 40-something woman. This younger woman is quite depressed, feeling like a weakling who doesn't really matter. She gains strength and a will to really LIVE through the stories shared with her. Spending time with the "old woman" becomes an important, life changing event for her - helping her to step-up and be the woman she truly wants to be.
This movie shows the importance of being willing to listen & learn from others - as well as the wealth of knowledge & experience that our elderly population has - if only we would take the time to engage them in discussion & listen to what they have to offer.
Overall, I give this movie "2 thumbs up"! If you're at all interested in human growth, and the "good old days", then this movie's for you!"
Fine Adaptation
Jay J. Smith | Tallahassee, FL | 07/23/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I love this movie. I watched it and fell in love with Idgie and Ruth, both wonderfully quirky and southern. I'd marry either in a heartbeat and count my blessings.
The rendering is faithful in many ways to Flagg's book: Whistle Stop teems with life in all its contradictions, the actors portrayals are flawless (especially Masterson's of Idgie), the screenplay is spot-on (probably because Flagg assisted), and the artistry is close to that of the book's (anecdotal flashbacks). That the directors found a town in Georgia and not Alabama doesn't matter. We are transported to a special and endearing place in time, and we want to stay.
Everything about this movie works. Watch it and enjoy."
A fantastic edition for this 15th Anniversary!
Cubist | United States | 06/14/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Every decade has its chick flicks that define those years and feature a who's who of up-and-coming actresses mixed with veterans. In the 1980s, it was Steel Magnolias and in the 1990s it was Fried Green Tomatoes, a southern folktale based on the novel by Fannie Flagg (who also co-wrote the screenplay).
Fried Green Tomatoes is a beautiful shot film that really evokes the rich, lush setting of the Deep South. Director Jon Avnet also uses warm colours to create an inviting atmosphere that draws the audience in. There is real artistic integrity to the camerawork which gives the film a Classic Hollywood vibe.
Fried Green Tomatoes is the perfect lazy Sunday summer afternoon movie that evokes simpler times. The film makes us appreciate taking the time out of our busy lives to stop and smell the roses as it were. The film espouses a simple yet important message of tolerance and compassion towards one another but not in a preachy way. It is a message that is certainly applicable today (maybe even more so) making Fried Green Tomatoes even more relevant.
There are a collection of "Deleted Scenes" that are really just little bits of added footage tagged on at the end of or in-between scenes. There is nothing too memorable here.
Also included, is an amusing collection of "Outtakes," featuring flubs and blown lines.
"Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes" is an engaging, endearing retrospective documentary that runs just over an hour. Good news for fans is that Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker contribute new interviews and warmly recall filming anecdotes, including working in the intense Georgian heat, how Masterson really handled all those bees and Parker's run-in with some nasty leeches. This is a must-watch for any fan of this movie.
"Sipsey's Recipes" include actual recipes for over 15 dishes that are taken from Flagg's book and that allow you to recreate the Whistle Stop Café's cuisine. This is a really nice touch.
"Jon Avnet's Director's Notes" includes script excerpts with specific directions he used as a guide when making the movie.
There are "Production Photographs" that include behind-the-scenes pics of the delicious food and also the movie crew at work.
"Poster Campaign" features various poster designs for the movie, including some really nice hand-drawn ones that are quite artistic in nature.
Finally, there is an audio commentary by director Jon Avnet. He takes us through his filmmaking process switching back and forth between talking about the themes of the film and production anecdotes."
Wonderful and original
Jay J. Smith | 05/07/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Some films get the harmless distinction of being called "Chick-Flicks." This is nothing to be ashamed of. I am a male who loves watching films about women because I not only learn something but I get trawled away from the male-oriented films that are so stereotyped and predictable. If I could take a movie to a deserted island, I would choose "Fried Green Tomatoes" over just about anything. It magnificently tells a multi-layered, multi-demensional story of two very beautiful women. The first is a character played by Kathy Bates. Her name is Evelyn and her inner beauty (she's sensitive and sweet) is enshrouded by her exterior, which is, to say the least, a cause for self-ridicule. She's not really fat--but chunky, not unattractive--just average; and this is killing her. When all hope gets lost she meets another beautiful woman--an octogenerian named Ninny. Ninny's beauty comes from her glowing vitality and her undiminished love for life. As this story unfolds we are introduced to two other women--Idgy and Ruth who were close friends and lived during the Depression. Yes, they too have their own inner and outer beauty and, in a way, foreshadow their modern day counterparts Ninny and Evelyn.This movie will make you laugh, cry, cringe in anger and leap for joy. It brings out all these emotions without being overly sappy (okay, there is some appropriate sappiness) and without being preachy. They even throw in a murder mystery. One of my favorite characters is the old drifter named "Smokey-Lonesome." His love for Ruth is so pure (and he's such a gentleman) that he never tells her. For those of us who have only loved someone from a distance this film warms the heart. I loved every second of it."
An Old Friend of a Movie
Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 11/03/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There are films that linger in memory for the warmth they exude and the impression they leave. So it is with the now 15 year old film FRIED GREEN TOMATOES based on the novel 'Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe' by Fannie Flagg and arranged for the screen by that author. This is a film that explores racism, feminism, respect for the elderly, women's rights, and so very much more in a manner that is infectious to watch repeatedly and defies forgetting.
Told on two levels, the film is narrated by the elderly Ninny Threadgoode (a luminous Jessica Tandy) who idles away her hours in her nursing home with stories about her childhood she shares with the sad, obese, emotionally fragile Evelyn (Kathy Bates) whose life of misery is slowly corrected by Ninny's tales of how two women in the past overcame impossible odds. The story she tells dates back to Alabama in the 1930s when a young upstart Idgie Threadgoode (Mary Stuart Masterson) is calmed by a frightened but solid Ruth Jamison (Mary-Louise Parker) and how their partnering results in a series of events that involve murder, racism, and some very strange events.
The cast is superb, the script is delicious (!), and Jon Avnet directs with aplomb not only the fresh talent mentioned above, but also such fine actors as Cicely Tyson, Chris O'Donnell, Stan Shaw, Lois Smith and a large cast of supporting actors. The re-creation of the Old South is palpably well focused as is the hilarious and touching stance from the contemporary standpoint of the nursing home and house of the chameleon Evelyn. It is a choice bit of filmmaking and one that deserves a place in every film lover's library. Grady Harp, November 06"