Shooting Fish – 1997 | 108mins | Comedy | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Shooting Fish is a low-budget quirky romantic-comedy by first time director Stefan Schwartz; the film is very much in the vein of a ‘60s madcap comedy with the loveable rogues believing themselves to be modern day ‘Robin Hood’ figures.

The films protagonists are smooth-talking American Dylan (Dan Futterman) and his British friend Jez (Stuart Townsend) are con-artists whose aim is to fleece as many wealthy people as it takes to buy themselves the stately home of their dreams. Both are orphans; Dylan is the suave, fast-talking dyslexic face of the operation, the more sensitive Jez is the nerdish computer wizard. Together they run a scam involving selling bogus voice-activated computer hardware to company executives. Dylan and Jez hire bright young typist Georgie (Kate Beckinsale), she is well aware of the boy’s scheme and both Dylan and Jez become smitten with vying for Georgies’ attentions – but she’s engaged to her rich fiancée Roger (Dominic Mafan). At first appalled by her employers’ scams, Georgie believes their lie that they intend to give the proceeds to orphans. While Shooting Fish is good-hearted film, the unbelievable twists and frenetic pace continue until it does gradually lose its sparkle.