Willi Patton's striking follow-up to his equally memorable "The Big Fiddle" is both an engaging expansion of that film's universe and a bold expression of his metaphorical approach to dramatic cinema. Food and sex provide the backdrop for an intense examination of the demise of a relationship, set mostly within the confines of a New York apartment. Everything in "Monk Fish" is at once ordinary and profound, like all the details of one's most painful memories. But the viewing experience is pure intoxication, and further proof of Patton's promise as an auteur and gift for bringing out the best in an auspicious cast and crew. Working within an effectively compact running time, Collin Smith and Mia Van De Water never hit a false note: the characterizations are relentlessly honest. Consistently impressive production values belie the film's low budget while still maintaining a gritty New York indie vibe, underlining Patton's growing body of work as both wholly unique and yet part of a vital American cinematic lineage.
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