Todd J. Stein’s The Final Fight Enters Fundraising Phase

A Powerful True Story Shining Light on America’s Abusive Guardianship System

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, November 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The upcoming feature film The Final Fight has officially entered its fundraising phase. Inspired by true events, the project aims to bring national awareness to the widespread yet often hidden issue of abusive adult guardianships, an ordeal faced by countless families across the country.

At its core, The Final Fight is a deeply personal story about loyalty and grit. When 40-year-old Hollywood executive Scott Cohen returns to New York, he finds himself fighting to free his ailing father from a predatory guardianship that threatens to strip away his dignity. What begins as a legal battle spirals into a human-scale thriller, as Scott discovers that all his power and persuasion mean little against a corrupt system designed to strip the vulnerable of their dignity, their assets, and ultimately their lives. It becomes a story of family, failure, resilience, and one son's reckoning with the limits of control.

Scott Cohen (40s) is a determined Hollywood executive fighting to reclaim his father's freedom. Navigating betrayal, career risk, and a strained family history, Scott is a layered protagonist whose strength is matched only by his emotional vulnerability.

Martin Cohen (early 80s) is loosely based on the writer's real father, Marvin Stein, Martin is a retired Golden Glove boxing champion. Proud, stubborn, and once indomitable, he now struggles under the weight of aging, manipulation, and the devastating loss of independence.

Ronnie “Hacks” Russo (60s) is a mob-connected enforcer with a chilling presence. Hacks is a ruthless figure who uses intimidation and violence to protect his family's interests, representing the dangerous underworld surrounding the guardianship abuse scheme.

The Final Fight is more than a narrative feature, it’s an urgent call for awareness and reform. The abusive guardianship system has quietly devastated families for decades, often targeting the elderly, the isolated, and the vulnerable. Through gripping storytelling and grounded emotional truth, the film seeks to shine a spotlight on this injustice and inspire meaningful conversation. With its fundraising phase now underway, the creative team invites supporters, advocates, and organizations aligned with elder rights and legal reform to join in bringing this important film to life.

The story at the heart of The Final Fight is not just personal, it is necessary. Behind the film’s narrative are countless families who have endured the trauma of a broken and exploitative guardianship system. These stories often remain buried, dismissed, or overshadowed by legal complexity and institutional silence. By telling this story with honesty and cinematic urgency, the filmmaker aims to give a voice to those who have been silenced, expose the emotional and financial devastation caused by predatory guardianships, and spark much‑needed public awareness and reform. This is a film born out of lived experience. It is a story that demands to be seen, heard, and understood.

The film is inspired by the real-life ordeal of Marvin Stein, whose story was chronicled in The Fight of This Old Boxer Was With His Own Family, a New York Times cover article that exposed the emotional and legal battles he endured. His experience reflects the urgent, growing crisis surrounding abusive guardianships—an issue increasingly affecting families in today’s aging society. As lifespans extend and support systems fracture, more individuals find themselves vulnerable to exploitation within a system meant to protect them.

Guardianship abuse is no longer an isolated problem, it is a rapidly escalating issue in the modern world. Families across America are facing the devastating reality that a court-appointed “protector” can seize control of a loved one’s life, finances, and freedom with little oversight or accountability.
The Final Fight arrives at a critical moment. The script weaves together the visceral world of boxing, the grit of New York and Brooklyn, and the deeply human story of a father and son reunited by crisis. These themes ground the film in emotional truth while illuminating the larger systemic failures that allowed Marvin’s real story, and many like it, to unfold.

This blend of personal struggle, family reconciliation, and high-stakes legal drama gives the film its urgency and relevance. The story matters now more than ever because it reflects a battle too many families are silently losing, and shows the strength that emerges when love and resilience step into the ring. The Team Behind the Project includes Todd J. Stein, the creator of The Final Fight, who has spent decades in Hollywood scouting talent and helping launch the careers of numerous young actors. His deep industry experience and personal connection to the subject matter bring authenticity and urgency to the film.

Casting director Barbie Block has assembled an initial wish list of standout talent. For the role of Ronnie “Hacks” Russo on of the lead protagonist, Stein is inspired by iconic performers such as Vincent D’Onofrio, Nick Nolte, and Joe Pantoliano. For the role of Annette, Martin's wife, the creative team imagines powerhouse actors including Ellen Barkin, Mercedes Ruehl, Frances Conroy, Diane Wiest, and Cherry Jones. For Phyllis Cohen, Martin's first wife, names such as Christine Lahti and Marilu Henner have been discussed. In dreaming big for Martin Cohen, the filmmaker notes that Robert De Niro represents the ideal. For Scott Cohen, the team sees strong potential in actors such as Adam Brody and Penn Badgley.

The tone and ambition of The Final Fight align with acclaimed films such as Spotlight, The Judge, and I Care a Lot, stories that expose systemic injustice while grounding their narratives in emotional, character-driven drama. Stein is an active member of the Victims and Families Devastated by Guardianship Coalition, founded by Marian Kornicki. He recently met with victims of guardianship abuse and investigative journalist Diane Dimond, author of We’re Here to Help: When Guardianship Goes Wrong. Their stories, insights, and advocacy efforts further fuel the film’s mission to spark national awareness and change.

Media inquiries, partnership opportunities, and investment information are available upon request by reaching out to the filmmaker at todd@toddjstein.com

Colin Harp
Team Stein
+1 917-842-0625
email us here

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