89. I'm Fine, Thanks For Asking; movie review

 

I'M FINE, THANKS FOR ASKING

Cert 15

86 mins

BBFC advice: Contains  strong language, threat, sexual threat, drug misuse

We are lucky. Mrs W and I have each other and our adult children are both settled and in good jobs.

Therefore, even during Covid, we were able to plough on and, although lockdown was difficult, we came out the other side.

Some families did not. Loved ones died and jobs were lost. Some even found themselves homeless through no fault of theirs.

These poor people are the focus of Kelley Kali and Angelique Molina's I'm Fine, Thanks For Asking.

Kali plays Danny, a recently widowed hairdresser who has fallen on such hard times that she is living in a tent with her eight-year-old daughter (Wesley Moss).

Despite being a tireless worker and refusing offers of help, Danny's extreme bad luck is compounded by erratic decision-making.

Meanwhile, she shields her daughter from the truth, making light of their situation while she desperately tries to secure permanent housing.

With just her rollerskates as a method of transport, Danny covers mile after mile trying to earn money and come up with a residence resolution.

There is no doubt that Kali and Molina's film has its heart firmly in the right place.

They have tried to create a movie during Covid lockdown on a shoestring and have shown how the poorest were badly affected.

It has surprisingly high production values, given its low budget.

On the downside, the script is a tad unambitious and the strokes of bad luck stretch believability.

However, Kali's Danny is a character that we would root for if we knew her.

Reasons to watch: Shows the horrific impact of homelessness

Reasons to avoid: It is quite bleak

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? As of March 3, 2023, some 35,734 people have died from Covid-related issues. The total death toll in the United States is 1.13million.

The final word. Kelley Kali: "I know that personally, I wasn’t able to pay the rent for months due to the required pandemic lockdown; if it were not for a moratorium on evictions, I would have been very close to becoming houseless."

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