Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake) is an anthology film that tells four small, mostly disconnected stories set around a lake in northern Michigan. Each story is charming in its own way—some more effective than others—offering a brief narrative, a minor conflict, and a conclusion. It often feels more like four shorts stitched together rather than a cohesive feature and while a stronger connection between the stories would have been interesting, the film remains an easy and pleasant watch overall.
The film opens with Sunfish, following 14-year-old Lu, who’s been left with her grandparents for the summer and finds solace in sailing and caring for a lost loonlet. Summer Camp shifts the focus to Jun, a shy violin prodigy navigating the pressures of an elite arts camp. Two Hearted takes a more melancholic turn, centering on a single mother who impulsively agrees to help a terminally ill man catch a legendary catfish. Finally, Resident Bird follows two sisters helping run their father’s lakeside boarding house as they prepare for the arrival of a Hollywood screenwriter, all while dealing with their own uncertain futures.
As is often the case with anthologies, some segments work better than others, and here, the quality seems to slightly decline with each chapter. While all the stories share themes of change and transition, a stronger thematic, visual, or narrative through-line could have made the whole experience feel more cohesive. As it is, the film has a constant sense of restarting, and at times, it leaves you wanting more from certain stories.
That said, there are some lovely, contemplative moments—whether it’s the quiet aftermath of a fishing trip or the exhilaration of sailing for the first time. These small, touching scenes make the film worthwhile, especially given its short runtime. There’s also something satisfying about the way it begins with someone entering the lake and ends with someone leaving it, creating a natural sense of closure. But for all its serenity, Sunfish never quite amounts to more than just “pretty.”