Mighty Fine

Synopsis

In the 1970s, Joe Fine, a Jewish American businessman from Brooklyn, New York, moves his wife Stella and his two daughters, Natalie and Maddie to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he has relocated his textile factory, in order to try to save it due to the decline of the textile industry. The cost of living is lower in the South and he can avoid travel, but he proceeds to live beyond his means including large extravagances. When a big investor decides to pull out of the deal, he takes a loan from the local mob. Joe has always suffered from anger management issues, but now stress is leading to depression and emotionally lashing out at his wife and daughters. He sees a psychologist upon his wife's urging, but he assures him that he is fine and his wife must be unduly concerned, because she is a Holocaust survivor. However, after he attempts to commit suicide, his wife pushes the panic button that Joe himself had installed, the police come and send him to a psychiatric hospital to deal with his anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, his younger daughter Natalie, who is the narrator of the story and suffers from a fear of public speaking, slowly learns to move on, and wins a US$500-poetry competition sponsored by the Campbell Soup Company. Eventually, she sees her father again when he has recovered from stress.

Cast

Critical reception

The film received a rating of 22% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Hollywood Reporter gave a scathing review, suggesting it stood "a slim chance of carving out much of a niche from an anticipated Memorial Day weekend limited release." The Los Angeles Times published a similarly bad review, adding Andie McDowell seemed "so constricted by her awkward Polish accent and timid persona that she tends to disappear in front of us." It should be noted that Gary Goldstein (The Los Angeles times movie critic) worked with director Debbie Goodstein as a teacher at Writers Boot Camp in the early 90's, and was never able to get his own film off the ground. The New York Times gave the film a notably positive review Stephen Holden wrote "Mighty Fine is an incisive portrait of an insecure, manic-depressive tyrant that Mr. Palminteri makes entirely believable." The Film also won best in show (first place) in Toronto's female eye film festival. Kyle Smith of the New York Post also gave the film a positive review writing, "Mighty Fine" has some quiet charms."