Gone Fishin' (1997)

Gone Fishin’ is the kind of sunny, good-natured comedy that’s less about the destination than the delightful mess of getting there, powered by the easy chemistry of Joe Pesci and Danny Glover as two lifelong buddies who treat a fishing trip like a sacred quest. Director Christopher Cain leans into broad slapstick and escalating misadventure, letting the Everglades backdrop and a slick con man turn every plan into a new, slightly louder problem. It’s a genial, breezy watch that plays like a throwback road farce—more chuckles and pratfalls than sharp satire—so if you’re in the mood for comfort-food comedy and a lovable double act, it’s hard not to go along for the ride. If you prefer your laughs dry or your plots tight, this one’s looser and sillier, but that’s also its charm.

Gone Fishin’ wants to be a laid-back buddy comedy where Joe Pesci and Danny Glover bicker their way through a cursed fishing trip, and on paper that pairing should be a slam dunk. The problem is the movie runs on tired misunderstandings and chaotic detours that feel more sloppy than escalating, with jokes that land soft and a plot that’s basically “and then another thing goes wrong.” Pesci and Glover have flashes of charm and familiarity, and there’s a mild comfort in the sunny, low-stakes vibe, but it rarely turns that into genuinely funny scenes. If you’re expecting sharp writing or a memorable comedy, skip it; if you just want easy background noise with two likable pros doing their best, you might tolerate the ride.