A nostalgic and well-made film, Fried Green Tomatoes explores the close friendship between two women over a period of twenty years. Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) is a tomboy while Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker) is demure, and together they run the Whistle Stop Cafe in a rural town in the deep south.

The main story, which takes place approximately between 1915 and 1935, is composed of flashbacks as recalled by Ninny (Jessica Tandy). She is an octogenarian nursing home resident who has befriended frustrated housewife Evelyn (Kathy Bates). Evelyn's dufus husband is a couch potato who watches every televised team sporting event known to humanity.

You will have to forgive me for including numerous spoilers in the upcoming paragraphs. These are necessary in order for me to properly lambast the plot. If you have not seen the movie, plan to see the movie, and appreciate plot surprises, then you have been warned.

As the film takes place in Alabama during an era of segregation and prejudice, those themes cannot be avoided. Predictably, our heroines do not discriminate at all, even at the cost of their livelihood. The lead black characters, Sipsey (Cicely Tyson) and Big George (Stan Shaw) are so noble that they are absent a sense of humor.

The villains once again are southern white males, particularly those from out of state. Worst of all is Ruth's husband Frank Bennett (Nick Searcy), who is such a brutal monster that you expect him to start breathing fire at any moment.

Frank's eventual disappearance casts suspicion upon Idgie. Charges are dropped against her at an inquest following the discovery of Frank's truck, which was dumped in a lake.

You would think that the lack of a body in the truck or the lake would indicate foul play, but the case is dismissed solely upon the testimony of a preacher. The preacher's perjury is immediately and openly discussed by Idgie and Ruth, who are surrounded by witnesses who pay no attention to what they are saying.

Frank's barbecued body is fed to an out of state investigator, who returns for seconds for the next five years. While I see the irony in this, I fail to see the humor. Lines like 'the secret is in the sauce' and 'best barbecue I've ever tasted' at least do not include 'finger licking good!' Is murder a crime only if the victim has a good personality?

The audience is expected to be flabbergasted and heartwarmed to learn that Ninnie is Idgie. Idgie must have had and raised her son Alfred, who lived to be thirty, after her time spent with Ruth. If Idgie was a lesbian, as the film frequently implies, she would have been less likely to have had children.

Ninny's house has been condemned and demolished. This would be more credible if the town itself hadn't been abandoned. Why stop with her house, when the rest of Main Street is turning into weeds? Meanwhile, the cemetery is immaculately maintained.

Evelyn's transformation from insecure housewife to self-confident businesswoman is credited to the influence of Ninny's storytelling. Empowerment is positive, but like anything else, it can be taken to extremes. Wrecking the cars of people you dislike, and tearing down the walls of your house without discussing the matter first with your spouse, may be taking the concept farther than it should go.

Mary Stuart Masterson did her own stunt work during the bee charming scene. Anyone who feels that Hollywood actors are overpaid should try reaching into an active bee hive themselves, without wearing any protective clothing.

Fannie Flagg, previously best known as a vivacious "Match Game" panelist during the 1970s, wrote the source novel and helped to adapt the screenplay. She has a cameo in the film as a teacher.

A box office hit, Fried Green Tomatoes also did well at the Academy Awards. Flagg and Carol Sobieski were nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, while Jessica Tandy was nominated as Best Supporting Actress. Tandy's imitation of Ruth Gordon was also nominated at the British Academy Awards, along with Kathy Bates' imitation of Bette Midler.

Studying the user ratings for the movie at imdb.com, it came as no surprise that women preferred the film over men, by an 8.1 to 7.0 (out of 10) margin. However, the gender difference declines with age: under 18, it is 8.7 to 7.0, ages 18-29, 8.1 to 6.9, from 30-44, 8.0 to 7.3, and 45 and up, 7.5 to 7.3.

The point of this wave of statistics is that it helps confirm the theory that while men and women see films differently, those differences fade with maturity.

Younger people are more accepting of stereotypes and plot implausibilities, and more open to stories that are directly targeted to their audience. Older viewers notice these manipulations, but are still able to put them into context with the high quality of the screenplay, production values, and direction.

Fried Green Tomatoes is nearly a very good movie. But to be swept away by its uplifting themes of friendship and empowerment, you must first overlook its problems with character development and storytelling. (69/100)

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Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older