| Director | Debbie Goodstein |
|---|---|
| Budget | $3.7 million |
| Box office | $27,900 |
In 1974, Joe Fine, a Jewish-American businessman from Brooklyn, New York, moves his wife Stella; his two daughters, Natalie and Maddie; and his textile factory in order to try to save it due to the decline of the textile industry. The cost of living is lower in the South and he can avoid travel, but he proceeds to live beyond his means including large extravagances. When a big investor decides to pull out of the deal, Joe takes a loan from the local mob. He has always suffered from anger management issues, but now stress is leading to depression and he lashes out at his wife and daughters. He sees a psychologist upon his wife's urging, but the doctor assures him that he is fine and his wife must be unduly concerned, because she is a Holocaust survivor. However, after he attempts to commit suicide, his wife pushes the panic button which Joe himself had installed. The police come and remand him to a psychiatric hospital to deal with his anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, his younger daughter Natalie, who is the narrator of the story and suffers from a fear of public speaking, slowly learns to move on and wins a $500 poetry competition sponsored by the Campbell Soup Company. Eventually, she sees her father again when he has recovered from stress.