In Theaters May 25, 2012: Mighty Fine

I feel incredibly blessed to have grown up in a family where I knew that I was loved, supported, and respected.  Even today, I consider my mother to be my best friend.  No family is perfect, however, the scars of physical and emotional abuse run deep.  According to KidsHealth.org, emotional abuse can be difficult to identify and is as damaging as physical abuse.

On May 25th, Adopt Films will release Mighty Fine, an independent film that raises awareness about families who experience emotional abuse.  Set in the ’70s, the film tells the story of the Fine family, who move from Brooklyn to New Orleans in search of a better life.

Joe Fine, played by Chazz Plaminteri, is the head and patriarch of the family.  His love and intentions towards his family are mostly authentic, but the stress of a business on the verge of collapse combined with an explosive temper result in his family bearing the brunt of his rage.  Andie MacDowell portrays Stella Fine, a holocaust survivor with a quiet, submissive personality.  She is supportive and somewhat apologetic for her husband’s behavior until there comes a point where it must be dealt with.  The story is told from Natalie Fine’s (Jodelle Ferland) perspective, the younger of the couple’s two teen daughters, which works well in the film since she is an aspiring writer.

The move out of urban Brooklyn into the suburbs of New Orleans is an attempt to “fix” the deeply rooted problems within the Fine family, but it only escalates them.  Throughout the film, Stella and her daughters battle the roller coaster of emotions that one feels for an abuser.  There is love and appreciation for Joe’s generosity and charisma, yet fear and vulnerability, never knowing when or how his rage will manifest.

Writer/director Debbie Goodstein drew from memories of her own father and troubled men she came in contact with as inspiration for the film.  Each member of the Fine family is impacted by Joe’s anger in some way, exposing audiences to the trauma that abuse survivors endure.  I appreciated the fact that the film openly depicted the effects of Joe’s anger and aggression on the family without stereotyping or minimizing them.  Some of the scenes are emotionally intense, but unlike many families experiencing emotional abuse, there is redemption in the end.

After premiering the film online, several of us had an opportunity to chat with Chazz Paliminteri and Rainey Qualley.  Here are some short excerpts from our Q&A:

Mighty Fine will premiere in select theaters nationwide. For more information, just visit the film’s Facebook page.