Oscar-nominated drama Fried Green Tomatoes emerges on the Netflix top ten decades later. Directed by Jon Avnet, the 1991 film tells the story of a downtrodden housewife who befriends a woman at a nursing home and becomes transfixed by the stories that she regails about her life. Fried Green Tomatoes features a leading cast of Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary-Louise Parker, Cicely Tyson, and Chris O’Donnell.
Years after its release, Fried Green Tomatoes finds success again on Netflix’s United States top 10. Fried Green Tomatoes came in no. 9 on the United States Netflix top 10 chart for the week of January 22–January 28. Topping the list this week were The Hill and The Legend of Tarzan.
On The Legacy of Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes is based on the Fannie Flagg novel of the same name. The story is known for portraying a heartwarming friendship without developing a saccharine feel, as the story contains series themes including run-ins with the Ku Klux Klan in Tandy’s characters recount of her 1920s Alabama town. Fried Green Tomatoes is also notable for its portrayal of a deep connection between female characters Ruth and Igdie, who are typically interpreted to be in love in the film.
The interweaving of these various elements in Fried Green Tomatoes has contributed to the film’s enduring legacy. The film was also well received during its time, receiving Oscar nominations in 1992 for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Tandy. Fried Green Tomatoes is also one of the last films released starring Tandy, who died in 1994 at the age of 85.
Given the lasting themes of the film, it is nice to see Fried Green Tomatoes regain success on Netflix. Given it is 33 years old at this point, it is slightly unclear how the film managed to top make the list amidst a series of otherwise newer films (e.g. Lift and The Super Mario Bros. Movie). In 2020, a Fried Green Tomatoes TV show was repotredly in development, though no news has since developed on the matter. Nonetheless, Fried Green Tomatoes is well-deserving of a rewatch, and hopefully will get even more views after its exposure on the United States top 10 chart.
