The unfortunate fact of the matter is that when the name "Crispin Glover" is uttered in casual conversation, it's inevitably followed by the names "George McFly" or "David Letterman." In his twenty-five year career, Glover has been unable to divorce himself from the image of eccentric character actor, a quotable oddity and fount of anecdotes for movie buffs. Only in the past two years has Glover emerged as a director, starting with his film What Is It?, a difficult, surrealist movie that resists easy classification or even summation. His new film and second in the planned It trilogy, It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine, finds Glover not only tightening his skill and artistic vision but also cementing his new identity as a confident and confrontational creator.
A collaborative effort with writer Steven C. Stewart and co-director David Brothers, It Is Fine! is more coherent than What Is It?, but even harder to watch because of it. The violent sexual fantasy of a man with severe cerebral palsy, It Is Fine! demands its audience accept protagonist Paul — played by Stewart himself — as a figure of authority. But despite his position of power, Paul's fantasy still finds him the target of discrimination. Margit Carstensen's Linda Barnes, who meets Paul at a posh dance, desires Paul as a strong male for her household but still rejects him. When she can't resist one last date with Paul, he strangles her to death. These contradictory power dynamics, coupled with Stewart's performance and scenes of graphic sexuality, make It Is Fine! an unsettling experience, but Glover keeps the world convincing and coherent. Each set is spare and cramped but full of vivid primary colors. The direction mimics Paul's fantasy; confined and frightening but assertive. It Is Fine! is a remarkable step for Glover. Those who manage to see it certainly won't think of Marty McFly's dad when next they hear his name. — John Constantine
