Sleeping with the Fishes

Sleeping with the Fishes

Year: 2013

Runtime: 95 mins

Language: English

Director: Nicole Gomez Fisher

Comedy

Alexis Fish finds her life in shambles after her husband's death and his infidelity leaves her financially ruined and emotionally devastated. Returning to her Brooklyn hometown for her aunt’s funeral, she struggles to face her family and her controlling mother, who are unaware of her current hardships. Working as a phone sex operator, Alexis finds unexpected support from her eccentric sister Kayla and a budding romance, ultimately leading her on a journey of self-discovery and a chance to rebuild her future.

Hopeful
Happy ending
Moderately emotional
Medium intensity
Steady pacing
Simple story

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Sleeping with the Fishes (2013)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Sleeping with the Fishes (2013). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn, New York serves as the home base for a Latino Jewish family, blending warmth and chaos in a lively urban setting. The family living room and nearby neighborhood become stages for big family events like funerals and Bat Mitzvahs, mixing humor with tradition. The vibrant, diverse Brooklyn backdrop reinforces the film's themes of belonging and reinvention.

🏙️ Brooklyn 👨‍👩‍👧 Family Life 🎭 Latino Jewish Culture

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:02

Main Characters – Sleeping with the Fishes (2013)

Meet the key characters of Sleeping with the Fishes (2013), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Alexis Fish (Gina Rodriguez)

Alexis is a resilient, witty woman trying to rebuild her life after the devastation of her husband’s infidelity. She juggles odd jobs and debt, all while grappling with her identity outside of marriage. Her return home forces her to confront family expectations and forge a new path forward with a blend of humor and grit.

💪 Resilient 🧭 Self-discovery 👩‍👧 Family-oriented

Kayla Fish (Ana Ortiz)

Kayla is Alexis's younger, comic-book–obsessed sister whose enthusiasm and quirks pull Alexis back into the orbit of family life. She acts as a catalyst for reconnecting with roots while challenging Alexis to consider new opportunities. Kayla brings energy, optimism, and a sharp sense of humor to the family dynamics.

🎨 Creative 👭 Sibling 🕵️‍♀️ Quirky

Estella Fish (Priscilla Lopez)

Estella is the fiery matriarch whose love and insistence on tradition ground the family. She anchors the household with a mix of warmth and pressure, insisting that family history be honored even as her children seek new lives. Her blend of tough love and care reveals the complexities of cultural expectations.

👩‍👧‍👦 Matriarch 🕊️ Tradition 🔥 Fiery

Dr. Leonard Fish (Tibor Feldman)

Leonard is the patient, guiding father figure who encourages Alexis to move forward. He offers quiet wisdom and support as the family navigates loss and change. His presence provides a steady moral center amid the chaos of redefined futures.

👨‍👩‍👧 Authority 🧭 Guidance 🤝 Support

Dominic Sebastiani (Steven Strait)

Dominic is a potential romantic interest who enters Alexis's life with warmth and support. He represents a new chapter and a chance at happiness, while still acknowledging the complexities of her past. His presence helps catalyze Alexis's growth and independence.

💘 Romance 💡 Catalyst 🤝 Ally

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:02

Major Themes – Sleeping with the Fishes (2013)

Explore the central themes of Sleeping with the Fishes (2013), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧭 Self-Discovery

Alexis's arc centers on redefining her identity beyond marriage, debt, and failed plans. Her return home forces confrontation with past choices and a re-found sense of purpose. The journey blends humor with raw honesty as she weighs independence against familial love. The film uses lightness to explore serious themes of agency and renewal.

🕊️ Family Culture

The home in Brooklyn becomes a crossroads where Latino warmth meets Jewish tradition. Family gatherings, Bat Mitzvah planning, and cultural jokes highlight both tension and affection. The city’s colorful chaos shapes how characters negotiate expectations, obligations, and forgiveness. The theme celebrates communities that survive hardship through connection.

🎭 Coping Humor

Humor and witty dialogue drive the story as a mechanism to cope with loss and navigate a chaotic family landscape. The zany dynamics provide relief while revealing deeper truths about love, loyalty, and resilience. Comedy acts as a bridge between generations, softening tensions without erasing them. Through laughter, characters learn to redefine their futures.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:02

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Heartfelt Family Dramedies like Sleeping with the Fishes

Uplifting stories of starting over, anchored by the chaos and comfort of family.If you enjoyed the balance of family chaos and personal healing in 'Sleeping with the Fishes', you'll like these movies. They feature characters returning home to rebuild after a loss, blending heartfelt drama with comforting humor and ultimately uplifting conclusions.

heartfelthopefulupliftingwarmcomfortingquirkynostalgicfamily-focused

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a protagonist, often returning to their hometown after a significant personal loss or failure. The central conflict involves navigating complex family dynamics while processing grief. The journey is one of self-discovery, where the character learns to accept support and finds strength in their roots, leading to a positive new beginning.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a specific emotional mix: they tackle heavy themes like grief or failure but do so with a warm, hopeful tone. The pacing is steady and character-driven, focusing on emotional growth within a family context, and they consistently deliver a comforting, uplifting feel.

Quirky Urban Rebuilding Stories like Sleeping with the Fishes

Charming city-set tales where community and romance help heal a broken heart.Find movies similar to 'Sleeping with the Fishes' that capture the vibe of rebuilding your life in a specific city neighborhood. These stories combine a strong sense of place with themes of grief, unexpected jobs, budding romance, and a supportive community for a warm, hopeful experience.

quirkyhopefulwarmurbancommunityromanticcharmingnostalgic

Narrative Summary

The narrative is set in a distinctive urban environment that influences the characters' lives. The protagonist is rebuilding from a low point, often financially and emotionally. The story unfolds through their interactions with a vibrant local community and a developing romance, using the city's energy as a backdrop for their gradual healing and reinvention.

Why These Movies?

This thread groups movies that share a specific vibe defined by their setting and emotional arc. They feature a medium emotional weight balanced by a hopeful tone, a steady pace focused on daily life and connections, and a strong sense of place that contributes to the overall warm and comforting mood.

Unlock the Full Story of Sleeping with the Fishes

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Sleeping with the Fishes Summary

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Sleeping with the Fishes Summary

Sleeping with the Fishes Timeline

Track the full timeline of Sleeping with the Fishes with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Sleeping with the Fishes Timeline

Sleeping with the Fishes Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Sleeping with the Fishes that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Sleeping with the Fishes Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Sleeping with the Fishes

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Sleeping with the Fishes (2013) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Sleeping with the Fishes (2013) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Sleeping with the Fishes (2013) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow