--- title: "A Fish Called Wanda: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/a-fish-called-wanda/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/a-fish-called-wanda" critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # A Fish Called Wanda (1988): what the critics said Critics' score 81 from 7 reviews: 6 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics warmly recommend A Fish Called Wanda, with praise clustering around its ensemble, tightly worked farce and comedy of British-American differences. Charles Crichton’s economical direction receives particular credit for sustaining the pace while allowing awkward encounters and character clashes enough time to become funny. The performances are another point of agreement: the cast’s chemistry makes the scheming enjoyable, while Kevin Kline’s manic Otto draws particular praise for giving the film much of its personality. The reservations concern taste and comic payoff rather than the performers, though the spread runs from outright enthusiasm to a mixed response. Slant Magazine finds some of the humour dated in its poor taste, without treating that as a decisive weakness. The New York Times is the clearest dissenter, admiring the cast’s chemistry but finding the caper less funny in execution than in anticipation, with a central joke stretched too far. ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Rating 4/4. 29 July 1988. The critic calls it the funniest movie in a long time thanks to its meanspirited take on vanity, greed and lust, with eccentric characters and flawless mid-Atlantic teamwork. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-fish-called-wanda-1988) ## The AV Club — Noel Murray Rating A. 30 August 2006. The film is a cult hit that became a personal project for Cleese, shifting from an Ealing homage to a blackly comic study of American-British differences. Crichton lets scenes play out with minimal cutting to build comic rhythm, while Kline and Palin rework dialogue in rehearsal. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/a-fish-called-wanda-1798201934) ## Empire — Emma Cochrane Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic praises the film as a successful modern twist on Ealing comedies that became one of the most successful British comedies ever, with strong comic performances and lasting gags. They single out the fast pace from director Charles Crichton's economical style and the well-cast leads for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/fish-called-wanda-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Sheila Benson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 15 July 1988. The critic praises the convulsively funny farce about cultural differences between Brits and Yanks, with Crichton’s masterful direction keeping the intricate plot spinning at high speed. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-15-ca-6950-story.html) ## Slant Magazine — Ted Pigeon Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2013. The film channels Monty Python's wit with its own personality, thanks largely to Kline's manic, loveable twit performance as Otto that gives the movie its soul. Crichton's simple creative touches and sharp dialogue elevate the awkward character interactions, despite some dated poor taste. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/summer-of-88-an-american-in-python-a-fish-called-wanda/) ## Time Out — SGa Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. The critic calls it a perfectly old-fashioned romantic comedy that is never dull. They single out the tightly scripted yarn and very funny gags, along with the strong character work from the ensemble. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/a-fish-called-wanda) ## The New York Times — Vincent Canby Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 15 July 1988. The critic finds the anticipation of the caper-comedy better than the execution, noting it plays like an extended lampshade joke despite strong cast chemistry. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/15/movies/review-film-four-misfits-and-a-gem-heist.html) ## The Times Rating ★★★★☆. 24 August 2018. It is that rare thing, a properly funny Anglo-American comedy blending Oxbridge wit with Hollywood gloss. Cleese excels as the uptight barrister, with Palin and Kline stealing scenes in their roles. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/film-review-a-fish-called-wanda-1988-mxtxcb9g0) ## Variety — Variety Staff Rating **. 31 December 1987. The review finds the film wacky and occasionally outrageous in a distinctly British way, highlighting Curtis’s comic timing and the love-hate rivalry between Brits and Yanks. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1987/film/reviews/a-fish-called-wanda-1200427699/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/a-fish-called-wanda.md