Interview/Movie Review: Deon Cole, Kelley Kali Talk About New Film I'm Fine (Thanks For Asking)

I’m Fine (Thanks For Asking)

Genre: Drama
Director: Kelley Kali and Angelique Molina
Cast: Kelley Kali, Wesley Moss, Deon Cole,
Runtime: 89 minutes
Release Date: SXSW Online March 21, 2021

Rating: ★★★★★

Interview/Movie Review: Deon Cole, Kelley Kali Talk About New Film <I>I'm Fine (Thanks For Asking)</I> 1

Recently widowed mother Danny (Kelley Kali) suddenly finds herself homeless and living in a tent with her 8-year-old daughter Wes (Wesley Moss). Determined to get back on her feet Danny convinces Wes they’re on a camping adventure. Can Danny keep up the charade long enough to find affordable housing or will Wes realize the truth?

As much as any critic tries to remain neutral when reviewing a film, it’s impossible not to have one’s own life experiences have some influence. As many readers know I spent three years homeless, part of which involved living in a tent. Screening I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking) brought back many memories from my own journeythat, in turn, helped validate much of what I thought about this film.

Kali does a wonderful job with her portrayal of Danny. There’s a sense of emotionally treading water I found profoundly relatable. It’s hard not to empathize with the struggling mother trying to make ends meet. The film does a great job showing how even minor setbacks can have devastating consequences when someone is trying to keep their head above water.

The chemistry between Kali and the young Moss is heartwarming and it came as no surprise to learn the two knew each other prior to filming. There’s a beautiful transformation in Danny as she’s forced to put on a happy face any time Wes is around. Despite being fictional characters, their struggle feels real.

I love the title of the film because it’s a common default answer when someone’s struggling. Like Danny, there’s a desire to feel normal, that everything is ok. Sometimes, creating the image of being fine is more important than facing reality, even if it’s detrimental to your situation.

Some viewers might be turned off by some of Danny’s choices. We often look down on homeless drug or alcohol use and yet how many of us say, “I can’t wait to go home and have a drink” after a rough day at work, or take pills to deal with the stresses in life. Yet the same self-medicating is frowned upon when someone is homeless. While it’s frustrating to watch some of Danny’s poor decisions, Kali’s representation of her character feels genuine.

I’m always cautiously optimistic about the portrayal of homelessness in film. After all, for war films, studios hire military consultants, and medical films bring in a doctor for guidance. Yet when it comes to homelessness, we don’t see studios having people with real-life homeless experiences sharing their knowledge. Despite that, I’m Fine does a wonderful job telling a compelling story.

It feels odd to say I enjoyed a film about homelessness. While everyone’s homeless experience is different, I found Danny’s story very relatable. I’ve described my homelessness as treading water for three years. Once it’s over only then do your body and mind have time to react and you become overwhelmed with emotion. We see a similar culmination with Danny that’s beautifully portrayed by Kali.

My only gripe is there is one thing missing from the final scene that breaks my heart. Unfortunately, I can’t go into detail but a promise was made that I wanted to see fulfilled. This missing element doesn’t impact the overall story but it’s a missed opportunity to add a subtle message to a beautiful ending.

As part of the film’s SXSW (South by Southwest) online premiere, I spoke to Kelley Kali and Deon Cole who star in the film. Cole serves as a producer as well as having a small role I don’t want to spoil by naming his character. Both actors were delightful to talk with and I was inspired by how this film came together. Even going beyond this film being made by two women of color, their approach, financing, and ability to get this film made during a global pandemic breaks many of the traditional Hollywood molds. I can’t help but wonder if this film had been pitched two years ago, would it have been viewed as a feature film or reduced to a scrappy short film.

I was especially curious to talk to Kali and Cole about some of their choices for the film. Certain aspects of it hit way too close to home for me and I was eager to learn if I was looking too deep into certain scenes given my own experience, or whether some elements had deeper meaning. Check out my interview with Kali and Cole below to find out their answers and more.

Directed by Kali and Angelique Molina, I’m Fine (Thanks For Asking) premieres on SXSW online Wednesday, March 17, 2021, 10:00 AM to Sunday, March 21, 2021 12:00 AM. Go to https://online.sxsw.com/event/sxsw-online/planning/UGxhbm5pbmdfMzM1MTYw for more info.

Check out my phone interview with Kelley Kali and Deon Cole below.

Kelley Kali and Deon Cole SXSW Interview for I’m Fine (Thanks For Asking)

Interview/Movie Review: Deon Cole, Kelley Kali Talk About New Film <I>I'm Fine (Thanks For Asking)</I> 2 — Kelley Kali and Deon Cole

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.