Mighty Fine Movie Review

Mighty fine Movie Review:    
Mighty Fine movie is a new powerful family drama, about a father's misguided attempts to find acceptance by his wife and daughters.  The movie is set sometime in the 1970s, Joe Fine, the father, is played by Chazz Palminteri, and the mother, Stella Fine is played by Andie MacDowell. 


 Joe relocates with Stella and their daughters Natalie and Maddie from brooklyn to New Orleans.  Joe is very controlling of his wife and daughter, and losses his temper quickly.  Natalie is 17, a senior in high school and is extremely upset at her parents decision to move to a new city and become increasingly defiant .  Maddie is 14, and unsure about the move, but is easily won over when she see their huge house.  The Fine family hopes this move is a new start for them, but quickly realize distance changes nothing.


The move puts strain on the Fine family when Joe's job is threaten.  Joe's love for his family is sincere, but his anger from his own abusive past causes him to repeat the cycle.  Joe is not seen as a monster, but as a loving father trying to provide for his family the best way he knows.


Stella is in denial of how much her husband's unpredictable and explosive rages are effecting their daughter's self-esteem.  Stella is submissive and tries her best to calm her husband when he becomes angry. 


 Joe tries to win his family affection by purchasing lavish gifts for them, but it only puts more pressure on him to provide financially. When Joe's job and his family lively hood are threaten, he is unable to cope with his feeling of failure and he moves from verbal abuse to physical abuse.   Joe is unaware and in denial how his action and mental health effect his family happiness.


In the end, Stella and her daughter will have to decide what each of them will do to end the abuse. (I don't want to giveaway the ending)




What I thought of the movie:
The movie, Mighty Fine movie, itself was a good depiction of violence in the home.  The relationship between Joe and Stella depict the emotional abuse women suffer during domestic violence.  The relationship between Joe and his daughter was a realistic account of an abusive father.  However, there was not as much physical abuse as I was expecting in the movie.   


I was surprised at how little I was effected by the physical abuse in the movie.  Since I grew up in an abusive home, I could not help but think, this is nothing compared to what I went through.  I guess it disturber me that I wasn't more disturbed by the abuse in the movie.  


I am impress how Mighty Fine movie dealt with the difficult topic of emotional abuse.  Domestic violence is becoming an epidemic in America.  When you are being abused by a spouse, whether it is emotional or physical, it can be hard to leave.  It is more than just packing up and leaving.  There is so much control,  by the abuser, that the abused doesn't feel as if they have any choices.  When kids are dealing with an abusive parent they can feel trapped by both parents; the abuser, they are scared of and the abused, they do no understand why he or she make excuses and stay. I think Mighty Fine movie was a sort of calmer version of what most survivors of abuse go though. 


Mighty Fine movie is emotional raw, straight forward and a honest depiction of emotional abuse.  My only critique is there is more profanity, and racial slurs then I am used to hearing.  I know for the movie to be an honest portrayal, maybe some language was necessarily, but I am just not used to (nor do I want to) hear those types of words any more. 


I would NOT recommend this movie for children.









 Mighty Fine is only showing in select theaters when it premieres on May 25th. to see if there is a theater near you Click Here  




You can also check out the Mighty Fine movie website: http://mightyfine-themovie.com/index.html




Disclosure:
“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mighty Fine and the distributor. I received access to an online showing of the film and a promotional item to thank me for participating”.


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