Product Details

• Actors: Drew Barrymore, Anthony John Denison, Harley Jane Kozak, Tom Mason, Laurie Paton
• Directors: Andy Tennant
• Writers: Janet Brownell
• Producers: Andrew Adelson, George W. Perkins, Janet Brownell
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Buena Vista Home Ent
• VHS Release Date: March 31, 1993
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302922658
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #247,522 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Made for television in 1993, and starring Drew Barrymore during her "bad girl" period, The Amy Fisher Story is arguably the best of the film adaptations made about the Long Island Lolita. Any film would have its hands full trying to depict the chaotic chain of events and tangled plot of the infamous shooting, so rather than refine any single viewpoint, the story unfolds with a Rashomon-like quality, depicting the tale of the assault in a series of flashbacks. Sometimes this leads to flashbacks within flashbacks, and even flashbacks within flashbacks within flashbacks, but don't worry, we've got ominous musical cues and grainy 16mm black-and-white stock to help us keep the story straight, which is more than we had at the time.

The movie does take a critical look at the television and print tabloids and their roles in the inflation of this event. It awkwardly, perhaps a little self-consciously, depicts the escalating and infringing influence of the media until it is impossible to extricate the reporters from the reported. Ultimately the "detached" press finds itself posting portions of Amy's bail, recording Joey's defense on live shock radio, encouraging those closest to the players to record supposedly intimate conversations, and then cheerfully reporting the ensuing pandemonium with a tsk-tsk aside and a sly wink. Couple all this with the wonderfully studied performance of Drew Barrymore, whose dialect and mannerisms are spot-on Amy, and the smarmy performance of Anthony John Denison as Joey Buttafuoco (you can actually smell the WD40) and you get a fun 90-minute movie. --Steffan Ziegler

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too Realistic?, November 27, 2002

By 

Jonathan Schaper (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Amy Fisher Story (DVD)

How much you enjoy this movie will depend upon how much interest you have in Amy Fisher's story. Absent the fact that it is based upon real events, it is not all that exciting. It is well acted and filmed and makes some interesting comments upon the media, but that's all. From the perspective of realism and professionality, it is the best film made about Amy Fisher, but as a result is far less amusing than the other two films made from the perspective of Amy and Joey. It is more difficult to find humour in the characters when they are more real. This film, vs. the other two, shows equal sympathy (and condemnation) towards all those involved. Thus, as an exploitation film, it is not that great. The liner notes in the booklet about what Fisher and co. are doing now is far more entertaining and bizarre than anything in the film. Regarding the few new minutes added, I can see why they would be edited out of TV broadcasts, but they barely rate anything more than a PG-13.

Watching this film did not leave me wanting to regain lost time, but it's not particularly memorable and I can't picture myself watching it a second time.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad. Not Great., April 5, 2002

By 

Sandi Strehlau (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Amy Fisher Story (DVD)

I watched this for Drew and she did not disappoint.

This was a very interesting role for her to agree to do...she was quite impressive. Her accent and the way she carried herself was fantastic. I wish it could have gone into more detail...I thought the story was too vague. If I had any questions about what happened they wouldn't really have been answered here...there are too many conflicting stories...it doesn't make sense to me that Amy Fisher was the only person convicted of anything...maybe that's the point?

Drew can do no wrong in my book...I'd watch her paint a fence! If you're an admirer I'd like to suggest you buy this film...if you're not, I'd like to suggest you'd at least rent it. It's worth a peek.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh Moy Gawd!!, January 25, 2001

By 

gtigrl "gtigrl" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amy Fisher Story [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Drew was simply dazzling in the Amy Fisher story. We all know
the
history of the event...young girl from Long Island shoots
her lover/.../car mechanic's wife in the head on her very own
front porch. I've seen all the Amy Fisher movies and Drew blew all
the others away. Her hair, her makeup, her clothes, her gawdy Long
Island accent are all perfect. I don't know Amy Fisher personally, but
Drew made Amy lovable yet moody, innocent yet dangerous! The
only complaint I have is the casting of Joey Buttafucco's character.
The actor was better looking and way too polished to be Joey, but
that's Hollywood for you.