I'm Totally Fine
"I'm Totally Fine" is totally fine - it's a simple story told simply.
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“I’m Totally Fine” (available in select theaters and on VOD beginning Friday, Nov. 4) feels like a platonic, lo-fi, COVID-regulated spin on John Carpenter’s “Starman.”
“Workaholics” veteran Jillian Bell stars as Vanessa, a Type A striver who’s just sold off the organic soda company she started with her more freewheeling best friend Jennifer (Natalie Morales). The two women rent a mansion in California’s Wine Country and hire a handful of vendors to celebrate. Derailing the festivities is Jennifer’s untimely death from a rare heart condition.
Vanessa, reeling from her friend’s passing, decides to still hit the house for a weekend of mourning/partying with the full support of her boyfriend Eric (fellow “Workaholic” Blake Anderson). It’s here that Vanessa goes on an overnight bender. She wakes up the following morning and Jennifer’s there. Only it’s not Jennifer – it’s an alien that’s adopted Jennifer’s persona.
The alien doesn’t have ill intentions. It’s simply on Earth to examine human beings and has been assigned to Vanessa. The alien assumes Vanessa will cooperate more fully if it emulates and resembles Jennifer. A strange albeit brief friendship develops between the two.
“I’m Totally Fine” is the feature debut of music video director Brandon Dermer. It’s written by “American Dad!” staffer Alisha Ketry and produced by “Workaholics” creator Kyle Newacheck (who also co-stars). It’s not that “I’m Totally Fine” isn’t funny, but it’s surprising that a movie with this much comedic pedigree isn’t funnier. The film substitutes the funny with heaps of feeling and I was repeatedly moved to tears.
I know Bell best from goofier turns in “22 Jump Street,” “The Night Before” and “Rough Night,” but she really sells this material’s inherent pathos. It took me a while to fall into rhythm with Morales’ strange performance, but once I did I responded to it greatly. She makes a bevy of brave decisions and they often pay dividends. Anderson’s acting is contained entirely to appearances on FaceTime (probably the result of COVID precautions or simply doing a favor for friends), but I enjoyed seeing him and he lends the proceedings considerable warmth. Newacheck similarly imbues the material his patented shaggy dog sentimentality.
“I’m Totally Fine” is totally fine. It’s a simple story told simply. I laughed a little, cried a lot and glommed onto the proliferation of Papa Roach references.