Everybody’s Fine, released in theaters on December 4, 2009, is the American remake of Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1990 Italian film Stanno tutti bene. It’s a poignant and understated drama starring Robert De Niro in a rare, gentle performance as an aging patriarch who confronts the uncomfortable truths behind his children’s seemingly perfect lives. The film is a moving exploration of parental expectations, fractured communication, and the complex bonds of family.
The film introduces us to Frank Goode (De Niro), a recently widowed and retired telephone cable manufacturer living alone in upstate New York. Frank, who relied on his late wife to be the central communicator of the family, eagerly prepares for a reunion with his four adult children.
When they all cancel at the last minute, Frank, despite his doctor’s warnings about his health, embarks on an impromptu, cross-country journey via train and bus to visit them and see the successful lives they’ve told him about.
His visits quickly expose the facade the children have constructed.
In Chicago, his eldest daughter, Amy (Kate Beckinsale), a high-powered ad executive, and her husband Jeff (Damian Young) feign a happy marriage to hide their separation.
In Denver, his son Robert (Sam Rockwell), whom Frank believes to be a conductor, is actually a percussionist who admits he lacks the talent for Frank’s high expectations.
Finally, in Las Vegas, Rosie (Drew Barrymore), who claimed to be a dancer, is a struggling waitress hiding her new life as a single mother.
Throughout his trip, Frank also struggles to reach his artist son, David, in New York, whose absence becomes a source of growing anxiety for both Frank and the audience.
The profound separation and emotional distance Frank experiences eventually take a toll, leading to a health crisis that forces the family to finally drop the pretenses and confront the secret—and tragedy—that they have been hiding from him.
Melissa Leo appears briefly but memorably as a kind truck driver Frank encounters during his travels.
Kirk Jones (Waking Ned, Nanny McPhee) wrote and directed the film.
Kate Beckinsale and Robert De Niro in Everybody’s Fine (Photo/Miramax Films)
Reception for Everybody’s Fine
Everybody’s Fine grossed $3.9 million on its opening weekend, finishing 10th at the box office.
The film would gross $16.4 million worldwide.
Roger Ebert gave Everybody’s Fine two and a half out of four stars in his review.
Legacy
Everybody’s Fine stands out in De Niro’s extensive filmography for its delicate, restrained central performance as he successfully sheds his typical aggressive persona to portray a vulnerable, lonely man who finally realizes that his lifelong pressure for “perfection” compelled his children to lie to him.
The film’s legacy is tied to this powerful theme: the gap between the life parents imagine for their children and the reality their children actually live.
While the American remake didn’t achieve the classic status of the original Italian version, its strong ensemble cast and poignant message about communication and parental love make it a sincere and emotionally resonant family drama.
