All Accolades & Coverage
BLACK LIST COVERAGE:
THIS IS FINE’s playful title suggests what the screenplay delivers – an apparently normal world with an undercurrent of weirdness. It’s as much a simple drama with a twist as a horror movie with a comedy flavor that offers a fresh perspective on monsters. The low-key tone of the storytelling delivers consistent wry humor and the read flows well, building effectively toward the surprising ending. Calvin, who is as mysterious and as apparently benign as the monster that haunts him, has an endearingly ordinary soul. His sweet relationship and mildly world-expanding love affair with Natalie and his good judgment in avoiding Avery’s toxic bro advances make him likable as the film follows the typical steps of life – getting a job, meeting a partner, marrying, and having kids – while extraordinary things happen in secret and people make wild assumptions about what’s bugging Calvin. The dialog is simple and very lifelike. The climax delivers some welcome and extreme surprises. The well-evoked suburban setting could be a contract housing development straight out of E.T. or THE TRUMAN SHOW, located in Anywhere, USA.
This screenplay, which is never overdramatic or gratuitously shocking, has a unique tone that helps it stand out from the many other unproduced features with supernatural elements on offer. THIS IS FINE is structured like a horror but infused with indie drama tonalities (Think: 2014's THE ONE I LOVE). While PG-13, its appeal seems specific and mostly adult. The storyline would make a great indie comic book or game adaption and has a comparable tone to some of the best and oddest fiction out there – Haruki Murakami’s novels immediately come to mind. This project offers solid ultra-low budget promise. Most things in the film could be achieved practically with makeup, wardrobe, or old-school VFX, with only the fairground scenes requiring a potentially expensive location. The script's voicing has a beautiful simplicity and subtle rhythm that feel worth developing.
