Did a back to back watching of these two Jeff Bridges films [well, on 2 sucessive days actually] and was struck by the similarity between them, that, although having seen both many times, had not ocured to me before.
Both include individuals psychatrically damaged by the traumatic killing of their families at an earlier stage of thier lives prior to the film, as central charachters: Both have as the main charachter, a helper to the above individual, who end up being as much [if not more] helped themselves as the help they them selves give. Both are set in New York and feature New York psychiatric hospitals. In both cases the resolution see's a bond formed between the two cental charachters that persists beyond the end of the film. And in both cases the mentally damaged individual seem's to have a wisdom that belies their madness and makes them as much the 'controller' of the relationship as the controlled. [I'm sure I could go on but you get the point.]
Now I love both films. Bridges is a fine actor and in both cases the play off between these two central charachters makes the film. In both films this is supported by a host of weird and wonderfull support charachters [particularly in the Fisher King] that just stay with you as long as the main actors themselves. Of the two films TFK is marginally my favorite - it's weird [in a uniquely 'Gilliamish' way], but it's beautifull as well. Both films have fantastic scenes featuring Grand Central Station, and Tom Wait's gives a fantastic performance and explanation of his function as a 'moral traffic light' by whose use we all can exercise a little more acceptance of our daily lot. Bridges chastises a man who drops Wait's alms money on the ground instead of in his cup "Asshole - he didn't even look at you!" he snaps. "He doesn't have to," Waits reply's "He's payin'."
Perry verses Prot - That's a hard one. I love both charachters for their different features. Perry's warmth in the face of his most awfull backstory, and Prot's ability to confound everyone he meets - and dispense help where none seems possible with no more than a sound or gesture. These are for me two of my all-time favorite cinematic charachters and it's a pointless exercise trying to sepparate them.
Lastly we have the enigmatic ends of both films.
Spoiler
In both cases we are left slightly hanging - Is Prot indeed from K-Pax and has he returned;or is he just a man broken beyond repair by the ravages of trauma too savage to be bourne. And Perry - hoy did he pull off the miracle of his own recovery [Prot says we all have the power to heal ourselves within us] and why did the symbols of the Red Knight and the saving of the dying old man imply that there was indeed a 'him upstairs' looking down on the events infolding in the drama.
