Little Fish

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2:30

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Little Fish

2021

1h 41m

Romance

Drama

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

78 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Little Fish, the fourth feature film from director Chad Hartigan, is a romance set in a near-future Seattle teetering on the brink of calamity. Starring Olivia Cooke, Jack O'Connell, Soko and Raul Castillo, the film opens in the midst of a global epidemic: Neuroinflammatory Affliction, a sever and rapid Alzheimer's-like condition in which people's memories disappear. Couple Jude Williams and Emma Ryerson are grappling with the realities of NIA, interspersed with glimpses from the past as the two meet and their relationship blooms. But as NIA's grip on society tightens, blurring the lines between the past and the present, it becomes more and more difficult to know what's true and what's false.

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Critics Consensus

Tough but stirring, Little Fish uses one couple's pandemic love story to illustrate the strength of human connection in trying times.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

May 5, 2021

3/5

O'Connell - a very good actor of whom I feel I haven't seen enough recently - is tender and sympathetic as Jude, and Cooke is similarly intelligent and gentle as Emma.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Feb 11, 2021

3/4

Cooke is marvelous. She carries this movie through all of its various ups and downs with magnetic grace.

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Mary Sollosi

Entertainment Weekly

Feb 8, 2021

B

Maybe that's the greatest surprise of the movie, after all: Obsessed though it is with the past, throughout its whole runtime, the best part always lies ahead.

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Paul Emmanuel Enicola

The Movie Buff

Jul 4, 2024

A-

As a timely metaphor for a relationship breaking down under a global pandemic no one knows how to overcome, this film encapsulates the frustration and persistence to maintain human connection once it starts slipping away.

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Tina Kakadelis

Beyond the Cinerama Dome

Jul 25, 2023

Little Fish's message that humans are best when they are in love is timeless. Our greatest treasure is sharing moments with people we care about, whose loss would break us. We hold onto those for dear life.

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Josh Parham

Next Best Picture

Jun 5, 2022

6/10

The performances are mostly captivating, particularly from Olivia Cooke, and the filmmaking does find imaginative ways to visualize some intriguing sequences.

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Hao Ian L

@HaOiAn May 25, 2026

Emotionally manipulative at times without the fitting setup, but otherwise a fine adaptation that offers a thoughtful romance with some clever ideas and lingering questions that unfold gradually after the credits roll.

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Kalissa H.

@kali_416 Mar 26, 2026

Devastating. This movie was so well done. I was entranced from start to finish. Wow.

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Aluna U

@RT14704568 Sep 22, 2025

Little Fish is a melancholic yet touching film about a couple fighting to preserve their love in the midst of a memory-erasing illness, mirroring emotional struggles felt during uncertain times. Through poetic narration, close-up cinematography, and subtle symbolism—like the goldfish representing fading memory—the film deeply explores themes of connection and loss. Its cliffhanger ending leaves viewers questioning reality, making it a must-watch for fans of emotional, thought-provoking romantic dramas. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com)

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Eli S

@RT32140729 Jul 22, 2025

The way that Cooke and O'Donnel get their characters to feel like REAL PEOPLE is unbelievable. The score, the filming techniques, and the amount of silence during conversations are all pieces that contribute to the complexity of the characters and the world they live in. Phenomenal film with a heartbreaking ending. If you want to cry, or feeling ANYTHING, this film is for you.

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Logan D

@Greynomad38 Apr 9, 2025

With the spread of Neuroinflammatory Affliction, a virus like condition that creates traits similar to Alzheimer's, a young couple (Olivia Cooke, Jack O'Connell) attempt to maintain their relationship as one of them begins showing signs of infection. This film made me question whether continuity holds or can we lose so much of ourselves that we are no longer the person anyone knows. Cooke and O'Connell are commendable in their performances. Recommended

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Al J

@RT30879931 Jul 24, 2024

Sad and original. Alzheimer is probably the worst illness of the world, besides cancer. So when this disease become a virus or something that spreads and attack young people is bad news, really bad news. The movie focuses in the perspective of a young married couple and the implications of forgetting your loved one, and it's painful, very painful. Well directed, well acted, and the final line schocks you.

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Chad Hartigan

Director

Olivia Cooke

Emma

Jack O'Connell

Jude

Soko

Samantha

Raúl Castillo

Ben

David Lennon

Tim

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Synopsis

Little Fish, the fourth feature film from director Chad Hartigan, is a romance set in a near-future Seattle teetering on the brink of calamity. Starring Olivia Cooke, Jack O'Connell, Soko and Raul Castillo, the film opens in the midst of a global epidemic: Neuroinflammatory Affliction, a sever and rapid Alzheimer's-like condition in which people's memories disappear. Couple Jude Williams and Emma Ryerson are grappling with the realities of NIA, interspersed with glimpses from the past as the two meet and their relationship blooms. But as NIA's grip on society tightens, blurring the lines between the past and the present, it becomes more and more difficult to know what's true and what's false.

Director: Chad Hartigan
Producer: Tim Headington, Mattson Tomlin, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Rian Cahill, Lia Buman, Chris Ferguson
Screenwriter: Mattson Tomlin
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Tango Entertainment, Black Bear Pictures, Oddfellows Entertainment, Automatik Entertainment
Genre: Romance, Drama, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 5, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 5, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $39.0K
Runtime: 1h 41m

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