Review by
Blair MacBride
Directed by: Kelley Kali, Angelique Molina
Starring: Kelley Kali, Wesley Moss, Deon Cole, Angelique
Molina
I'm Fine (Thanks for Asking) follows a recently widowed
single mother called Danny (co-director Kelley Kali) during
the COVID-19 pandemic - the virus has no headline part to play in the
film, however. As an unestablished member of the gig economy in suburban
California, Danny struggles to provide for her young daughter Wes (Wesley Moss), with limited income forcing them both to stay in a tent by the side of
a road. Nevertheless, the feature takes place over the course of an
important day in their lives. Despite often self-induced distractions -
clients cancelling on her, and the inability to have a constantly charged
mobile phone - Danny attempts to finally end her and Wes's homelessness by
getting enough money to secure a downpayment on rent for an apartment. To
do this though, she must make a difficult choice to achieve shelter for
her small family.
The film does a fine job at highlighting modern issues facing those in
troubling circumstances. In particular, for both single parents and those
grappling with earning an income from the gig economy. While Danny tries
to gather enough cash to get her family of two off the streets, it's clear
that she has to get over what, for her, are daily barriers in order to
merely survive. Yet for the average person, these are things completely
taken for granted: the likes of a having a charged wifi accessible device
to enable you to do most modern daily tasks; possessing a washing machine
to wash dirty clothes and belongings; or owning any mode of personal
transport (car or a bike etc.), allowing you to work on a more mobile
basis.
For most who would assume these to be an absolute bare minimum of
amenities, on the flip side, Danny has to make do with what she can. From
getting a small bit of charge for her phone from a friend's external wall
socket, to relying on her trusty roller skates to get her literally
anywhere across town, Danny is constantly fighting an uphill battle.
Indeed, in spite of its limited resources, the way in which this film
skillfully conveys that narrative is admirable.
I'm Fine (Thanks for Asking) has a wonderful simplicity to
it. Despite dealing with such a complex situation, the film showcases
Danny's plight in a satisfyingly easy way. It doesn't need forced drama,
deep multi-layered dialogue or stunning locations to tell its tale. The
story's matter of fact events and candid interactions between characters
are its driving force, and the intimacy of its cinematography only
bolsters its authentic, believable story. It depicts Danny's efforts
almost in a documentarian fashion, giving us a real likeable grittiness.
At the same time, though, the inevitable negative effects of the low-cost
nature of this production can be felt in other areas. Admittedly Kali has
a steady performance throughout, but one or two of her cast members are a
little rigid in their delivery, slightly detracting from certain
exchanges. Not only that, but the film does become a smidge formulaic in
its final act.
That said, although this movie's acting and predictability are a little
pernicious to its otherwise respectable showing, you've got to give
I'm Fine (Thanks for Asking) the benefit of the doubt. In
spite of this feature's small-time budget and limited resources, for what
it is, this indie doesn't do too badly at all.
I'm Fine (Thanks for Asking) is in
UK cinemas and on VOD from March 3rd.
