The film commences with a scene of and old rusty truck being pulled out of a Southern river. Flash forward to Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates) and her husband Ed who, after driving down the wrong back-road in search of Ed's aunt's convalescent home, end up lost at the abandoned Whistle Stop caf.

Upon their arrival, Evelyn meets the loquacious Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy), an amiable old lady in need of company and who ironically has a knack for telling good stories. As she begins to divulge the tale of her infamous relative Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) a second narrative develops?

Idgie was the rambunctious tomboy sister of the beloved Buddy Threadgoode. On the day of their elder sister's wedding, Idgie is out with Ruth Jamison (Mary Louise Parker) and Buddy, playing by the railroad tracks. But foolery turns fatal as Buddy gets stuck on the tracks and the oncoming train fails to yield in time. After his death Idgie closes herself off from her family and the world, resorting to wild, unruly habits and seeking shelter at her family's slave-house under the watchful eye of Big George (Stan Shaw) and his Momma Sipsey. As Idgie enters womanhood her desperate mother calls upon Ruth, who has grown into a quite refined Southern belle over her years, to come and help Idgie reform her ways. But Idgie's obstinate personality proves to affect Ruth into wily acts more than Ruth's demure personality affects Idgie into settling down. As the two become best friends, Ninny takes Evelyn through the trials and tribulations of the young women's relationship.

Meanwhile, back in the present, Evelyn is fed up with her unsuccessful marriage. After months of sexual therapy and marital classes her efforts to spark up her love life with Ed prove in vain as he continually prefers his dinner served TV-side with a cold beer and a nightly baseball game. Finding inspiration from Idgie's story, Evelyn begins to reform herself, starting with the dumping of her 20-odd candy bars stashed in her purse. She begins to take up a job with Mary Kay, dieting, exercising, renovating her house, and, standing up to other people! Using Idgie's battle cry, "To Wanda", Evelyn sets out making a whole new life for herself in hopes that she can soon take Ninny into her home.

Back in Ninny's story, Ruth's marriage to the nefarious Frank Bennett (Nick Searcy) proves to be an abusive relationship that provokes Idgie to rescue Ruth from his violent hands. Meanwhile, in Whistle Stop the two women open a caf' and employ Idgie's Momma's slaves, including Big George and Mamma Sipsey to help run the show. A local hit, the restaurant's prime delicacy, besides good BBQ and fresh pie, is the Southern treat, Fried Green Tomatoes. A successful business, Ruth and Idgie set about running the caf- while Ruth's baby boy is under the care of Momma Sipsey. But when Frank Bennett returns in the drab of a KKK member, he provokes nothing but trouble in the quiet town of Whistle Stop. Attempting to kidnap his child Frank delivers Momma Sipsey and the gentle Smokey Lonesome some harsh blows as he tries to high tail it with the baby. But before his escape a mysterious blow to the head from an anonymous hero lays Frank Bennett to the ground for good.

Upon his absence, a Georgian detective heads to Alabama in search of his whereabouts. Believing Idgie to be the prime suspect after wind of her threatening to kill Frank for his abusing Ruth catches the detectives' ears, he sets out to prove her guilty. But with no body found it isn't until five years later that Frank's truck is pulled out of the river and Idgie and Big George go on trial. Ambivalently innocent, the mystery behind the murderer remains concealed. Nevertheless the local Reverend steps in and helps prove Idgie and Big George's innocence - case dismissed.

In the present Evelyn yearns to bring Ninny into her own home after learning that she has lost her condemned house while away at the convalescent home. A final meeting between the two new friends reveals the last chapters of the Idgie and Ruth story that covers Ruth's sudden illness, her baby boy's ironic losing of his arm to the train track, and most importantly - the identity of the murderer.

"Fried Green Tomatoes" is a beautiful film whose double narrative undulates and folds in on itself in beautifully smooth layers. The ironic parallels in incidence, the character's relations, the moralistic motives of the film, and the mystery surrounding the murder of a most detestable man all work to bring the film to a solid dual climax: the first is Evelyn addressing the problems in her present day life and the second is the result of Idgie's and Ruth's friendship and how it affected Idgie throughout and after the trial for Frank Bennett's death. The film beautifully contrives resonances and echoes that compliment one another and further add to the simple, yet complex double narrative about the bonds of friendship.

"Fried Green Tomatoes" is as funny as it is heartwarming and the character development throughout is remarkable. Jessica Tandy shines as the vivacious Ninny Threadgoode who, despite her age, is still sharp as a tack and as mysterious a character as those in her story. Mary Stuart Masterson loses herself in the role of the rambunctious Idgie and Mary-Louise Parker portrays Ruth with a sincerity that fits so well in contrast to Idgie's wiliness. This film will make you laugh, smile, scoff, and maybe even cry. A definite yes!

PS: Be on the lookout for the revelation behind Bennett's murder. The agent and the action (who did it and what they did with his body) is truly a perfectly ironic and morose twist that will have you laughing in disbelief as much as Evelyn does when she hears it for the first time!

Main Characters:

Mary Stuart Masterson plays Idgie Threadgoode, the rambunctious hellcat of a tomboy who befriends the up and proper Ruth and teaches her a thing or two about livin?.

Mary-Louise Parker plays Ruth Jamison, the prim and proper Southern belle who learns how to get down and dirty with her new best friend Idgie.

Jessica Tandy plays Ninny Threadgoode, Idgie's relative who, in her latter years, befriends Evelyn Couch and share's Idgie's story.

Kathy Bates plays Evelyn Couch, the down-and-out wife who's polite and subservient ways get a modern makeover after she becomes inspired by Idgie's story.

Stan Shaw plays Big George, the loveable slave who devotes much of his time looking after the safety of the wily Idgie.

Nick Searcy plays Frank Bennett Ruth's abusive and racist husband who tries to steal back his baby and winds up dead, thus provoking the conflict in the narrative.