It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine. (2007) User Reviews (8)

It is Fine

[mitesh_master · 6/10 · 19 January 2011]

I'm only writing this because it either got a 1 or a 10. There's something to movies like that.

This film has a power to it.

In the blink of an eye a man with cerebral palsy, Paul, has experiences of courtship, heartbreak, seduction, vengeance, rejection, fulfillment and disappointment.

Most highly negative reviews focus on the seduction and vengeance. Those are definitely there, but with the air of absurdity and, for some, humor that this man could hurt any of these women.

But that's the point. This man could never really hurt anyone, but how easily could any woman hurt him.

The most poignant moment in the film comes early when Paul is rejected for no other reason than she "couldn't see herself being with a man like that", a theme that we meet over and over again, even when triumphed against.

Paul exacts his revenge through seduction and strangulation; somehow a man we struggle to understand captures the minds of these women and overpowers them with his frail body.

Despite my kind words, the movie moves hesitantly forward and at times becomes boring as we drive deeper into this man's fantasy. Rejection, fulfillment and disappointment all come so quickly that its tough to notice how important they were.

Early on I definitely squirmed; be it a difficult to understand lead launching into his first speech or his first effortless seduction, a girl no more than 12.

This all is thoroughly buttressed by great set design and music that becomes a character in its own right. These two alone would make the film worth exploring.

Misogynistic.... Yes. Exploitative... sadly yes.

But honest. There is, to me, a deep sadness and loneliness that penetrates this film if you're to see past a small fantasy. In the end, Everything is Fine.

Incredible, unique and not easy to watch

[viciouscargo · 8/10 · 28 January 2007]

Just saw this at Sundance with Glover giving Q&A. Not many people will say this, but I think this is a really beautiful and touching film. The screenplay was written by Steven C. Stewart, a man with cerebral palsy (who played himself in the film), depicting his fantasy life. In the fantasy he still is disabled, but his incomprehensible speech is readily understood by others, he is appreciated for his charm, tenderly seduces many women and violently overpowers them. An amazing film that might easily be dismissed as exploitative or misogynistic. To call it either is to misunderstand the directors' intention and to judge the writer. I really enjoyed performances by Glover's father, Margit Carstensen, and the musical selection is particularly moving. (CG, I asked at the Q&A what piece was playing leading up to and at the moment Julie is stretching out on the white rug, when we see the split set of the two apartments. It's not Vienna Blood and I'm dying to know. Khachaturian? Please help so I can stop humming it to friends: viciouscargo(at)yahoo.com) Glover's film is not easy or comfortable to watch, but I encourage people to make the effort to see this film. Glover said he does not plan to release the trilogy on DVD so get out and see this one. I dare you.

Amazing Film

[mikeeldredmuzik · 10/10 · 6 July 2017]

I had the opportunity to see this film along with a question / answer segment with Mr. Glover. The film pushes the audience in so many ways, and Crispin truly reaches into peoples value system and outlook on what is regarded as "normal." In the Q/A section, he really allowed people to see his motivations and desire to tell the bigger story. The film was written not by Crispin, but by the main actor. Without Crispin, this film would have never been made. Inspirational and beyond what we consider "normal" story-telling.

Masterpiece

[BrokenHorseProductions · 10/10 · 14 October 2009]

I saw this film in New York a year ago and was blow away. A few films over the years have had this power and have left this type of mark on this avid film goer and maker. "Domestic Abuse" by Fredrick Wiseman, "Persona" by Bergman (when I was 18), "Killer of Sheep" by Charles Burnett two years ago... To name a few. This film has more power in its premise that any Hollywood film I could think of. It's a sort of blend of surrealism, documentary with Fassbinder, Margit Carsten was an actress in Fessbinder's films. It mixes fiction with fact so intensely it leaves you moved. The star and co-writer Steven C. Stewart himself has a severe case of cerebral palsy and the story is about him having fantasies about having sex with beautiful women. Now, the sexual fantasies have a touch of anger in them... Can you imagine that? Angry about having a crippling disease which makes it that much difficult to make love to a beautiful woman? I don't know what he has to be angry about! This movie is a beautiful wish fulfillment and a powerful statement about the frailty of the human body and all its needs. And yes although politically correct America doesn't want to admit it, the physically disabled have needs too! Mr. Stewart passed away shortly after the completion of this film and it a pure testament to his commitment to the art work. This man, lived longer, to see this film through... If that doesn't move you than you're cynical... The music is beautiful the camera and art direction is perfectly insular and surreal and the dialogue is filled with truth. I dare you to look into the void and not scream!

Can we PLEASE get real?

[futurefeet · 1/10 · 6 January 2011]

The fact that anyone is giving this 10 stars on IMDb is a testament to how gullible - and susceptible to suggestion - pretentious people are. You could project the most tedious garbage onto a screen, slap on the brand name of Crispin Glover, and these people will tell you it's a brilliant work of art, no matter what they just watched.

I have now seen the first two films of Crispin Glover's trilogy, and I did enjoy the first, to some degree. I'm a fan of bizarre thing in art; weird music, strange, off-beat films and such. "What Is It?", Glover's first film in the trilogy is an all-out assault of absurdity, bizarre imagery, and artistic/moral provocation. This didn't make it a great film, but it at least made it an interesting thing to witness.

I saw the second installment, "It Is Fine!", at a screening in Philly a couple of weeks ago. I saw several people walk out during the screening (despite paying 20 bucks to see it). So, to break it down a little, here are the problems with the film:

************* SPOILER ALERT *************

• The lead actor, Steven Stewart, has cerebral palsy, and you can't understand anything he says, and there are no subtitles. So we're treated to some long, unintelligible monologues (fun!) • The script is written by the lead actor, whose only interest seems to be living out his sexual fantasies on film. • After he murders the first woman by strangling her, in very unconvincing fashion, he goes on to meet at least five more women, who are inexplicably attracted to him, after which they immediately have sex with him, and are killed by him. This is the whole movie. Just that thing I just described, happening over and over and over.

Does this sound like a great film to you yet? If so, have at it. As for me, I wish I hadn't wasted my time and money. The feeling I was left with was, "where do filmmakers like Crispin Glover get the balls to subject us to this worthless garbage?" If it's any indication of how bad this was, I was a fan, and was psyched to see this film. But after I saw it, I completely changed my mind. Obviously, I won't be looking for tickets for the third film.

it is easy to judge this movie and rightfully dismiss it

[joel696 · 1/10 · 29 January 2007]

Looking past the surface of this movie, you can find tidbits of meaningful ideas that aren't developed or addressed. You learn very little about the main character and cannot understand what he is saying throughout the movie. Crispin Glover stated that the purpose was to show the reality of the main character since the main character cannot speak clearly. My thoughts are that you should be able to describe a scene as boring, you don't have to make the scene boring for the audience or reader. Viewing a man with cerebral palsy making love, murdering women and having a fetish will probably foster thought and conversation, though by itself it has little merit. I hope the images in this movie soon fade from my mind.

The Cult Of Celebrity, Alive and Well.

[Auntiemaim · 1/10 · 13 January 2011]

I was quite intrigued to see this film and Crispin himself doing his spoken word performance in my town, as I've very much enjoyed his offbeat acting and artistic choices. Unfortunately, my sense of anticipation slowly morphed into a disappointing combination of boredom and disgust as the night wore on.

Adapted from the screenplay of and starring Steven C. Stewart, a man stricken with cerebral palsy, the storyline meanders at a snail's pace as you try and figure out where the hell it's going. Stewart's constant, garbled diction and the naive dialogue are at first quite interesting, though before long it becomes glaringly clear that true substance is bowing to leery shock value here. Actress after beautiful actress gets naked, has sex with in some cases, and then gets attacked and murdered by this frustrated fellow.

After the showing, we learn that it was Steven's and then Crispin's dream to have Steven's vision be made reality before his imminent passing, a concept both noble and intriguing. Subjected to 74 minutes of pure, self-indulgent misogyny though, I feel angry that precious time of my life was used up for this thankless drudge, and sad for Steven that this simple-minded "fantasy" of ugliness and hate was his swan song.

Should disabled people have voices in the media? Absolutely. Should Crispin be allowed to make a film like this? Sure. But how disappointing that someone with such a propensity for the counterculture would devote his creative talents to a piece filled with stinky elements so commonly floating in the mainest of streams-gratuitous female nudity, sexualizing of underage young girls, women compromising themselves, women being killed and in general being sex objects/victims. So the fact that this tired, toxic norm is filtered through the eyes of a man with cerebral palsy instead of your average douchey Hollywood type makes it deep?

We get it-disabled people have dark thoughts. This could have been accomplished in a five-minute short.

There is also no doubt in my mind that the shameless ego-stroking that ensued in Crispin's direction after this screening would have taken quite a different form if this mess was presented by Joe Unknown.

Rape apologist pedophiliac drivel

[jessipassion · 1/10 · 13 April 2019]

It's not just that this film is offensive. It's, that this film is terrible. From the cinematography to the dialogue to the gratuitous unimportant rape scene this film is just not good. Sometimes art is made that pushes boundaries and makes people uncomfortable and it has its place. This isn't that. This is old tropes pulled from the 70's and displayed in a lackluster manner while celebrating its misogyny and applauding the pedophile.