A STRIKING DEBUT FILM ABOUT TEENAGE SUICIDE
The debut film from a young filmmaking couple, I Feel Fine is a coming-of-age story that tackles the sensitive subject of mental illness and the overwhelming urges to commit suicide. A drama filmed with great tenderness and carried by brilliant performances from up-and-coming actors.
In rural America, Ozzy lives a seemingly happy adolescence, filled with hanging out with his friends, loving parents, and the new girl at school who seems to take a particular liking to him. Yet, he has dark thoughts. He thinks about death, relentlessly. Ozzy even makes several suicide attempts. No one around him understands. He himself can't explain it. For their first feature film, the couple Austin and Hailey Spicer tackle a particularly sensitive subject: suicidal obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which causes obsessive thoughts focused on suicide.
While deeply insightful and moving, I Feel Fine is also a tender coming-of-age story set in an uncertain era, somewhere between the 1970s—judging by the characters' looks and their cars—and the present day (Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and Lady Gaga are mentioned in passing). This lends the film a certain timelessness and a touch of melancholy. It's worth noting that the film was built on personal memories: the filmmakers' own adolescence, of course, but also the experiences of the actors, most of whom were newcomers—starting with Elijah Passmore, who is impressive in the lead role, full of subtlety and tenderness, and making his film debut.
The tragic subject matter of I Feel Fine might initially seem daunting. Yet, the filmmaking duo manages, while remaining true to their subject, to avoid making a depressing film, so gentle and tender is the coming-of-age story presented. One thinks of the scenes between Ozzy and the girl he sees as his girlfriend (the wonderful Nandi Summers), those with his friends, but also those with his older sister, played by the actor's real-life sister (Tori Passmore). This documentary-like aspect of the sibling relationship adds considerable emotional weight to the film. While the sometimes overly theoretical nature of the script and a few awkward moments in the direction prevent a truly moving experience, these are quickly redeemed by the freshness of the young, unknown actors in this debut film. Faces we hope to see again on the screens of American independent cinema.
I FEEL FINE BY AUSTIN AND HAILEY SPICER
RELEASED IN NOVEMBER 2024
