John Sayles has described this film as a probe of "what people do when they think they're on one life path and then it gets blown in another direction".
The "Passion Fish" myth that Rennie tells appears nowhere in Louisiana lore and is completely a creation of director John Sayles.
Actress Mary McDonnell prepared for her role as the wheelchair-bound May-Alice by attending physical training and hospital sessions with counselors and real paraplegics. She had to do this while she was concurrently filming Sneakers (1992).
According to John Sayles' official web-site, "this movie has become a favorite in the Cajun country where it was filmed".