There's a joke about someone selling drugs. A character is made to drink an antipsychotic drug that their water is spiked with. Several scenes where characters are shown smoking or drinking. After injuring their arm, someone is made to drink to help ease the pain.
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The film deals with death and dementia and is set during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mention of a fire accident, stealing, self-harm. Characters discuss blood pressure issues, diabetes, and postpartum depression. Arguments. Threats of slapping. Someone is smacked and a character slaps themselves. In one scene, a character injures and dislocates their arm in the shower. Someone smashes a piece of crockery and gets a small cut. A character has a stroke and later dies. Discussions of child abuse. There is a conversation about someone being "sold off," ill-treated, and trapped.
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One must face the past in order to move on. Family and community are of utmost importance. Communication, empathy, and compassion are shown.
Positive Role Models
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Anamika comes to terms with her past and works on her relationship with her mother. Sadhana acknowledges her errors and becomes earnest with her daughter. Sadhana's friend Laxmi supports both Sadhana and Anamika throughout.
Diverse Representations
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Most of the central characters are Indian or of Indian heritage. Anamika has an Indian mother and an English father. The film is set in the United Kingdom. Classical Indian music is elaborately discussed. Sadhana has dementia and although that is a major part of the story, she is not reduced solely to her condition.
Parents need to know that Goldfish is an intense but gentle drama about dementia, death, and dealing with the past. It follows Anamika (Kalki Koechlin) and her mother, Sadhana (Deepti Naval), who is living with dementia. The two of them navigate through the layers of their complex relationship and come to terms with certain events of their shared past. The film is set in London during the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on death and loss. There are conversations about a fire accident, stealing, self-harm, blood pressure issues, diabetes, postpartum depression, and child abuse. Characters argue, which leads to occasional slapping. A character dislocates their arm in the shower. A person has a stroke and later dies. There is strong language throughout and includes "motherf----r," "bitch," "bastard," and frequent use of "f--k." Characters are seen drinking, smoking, and being made to consume antipsychotic drugs. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
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What's the Story?
In GOLDFISH, Anamika (Kalki Koechlin) returns to her childhood home when her mother, Sadhana (Deepti Naval), is diagnosed with dementia. With the help of her supportive neighborhood, Anamika tries to come to terms with the ghosts of her past and reconcile with her mother.
This delicate drama, directed by Pushan Kripalani, deals with love, loss, and loneliness in a beautifully bittersweet manner. Set in London during the early COVID-19 lockdowns, Goldfish brings together one character's sense of alienation due to her past, with her own mother's struggles with dementia. When Anamika tries to rekindle a relationship with her mother, Sadhana, there are bitter fights, lost words, and the customary "tea at four." It's a gentle, soft, and warm film that encompasses the fragilities between remembering and forgetting. Koechlin and Naval come together beautifully on-screen and represent the complexities within a mother-daughter relationship wonderfully. The result is a tender tale of togetherness overcoming loneliness and isolation.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how dementia was represented in Goldfish. How did it impact the characters and the relationships between them? Do you think the film handled this illness sensitively? Why, or why not?
Talk about how the film dealt with themes of loss, death, and pain. How did the neighborhood support one another during such difficult times? Why is a sense of community important?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Sakhi Thirani
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
