Before I Go

Just an absolute indie gem. The film is slow paced and deliberate. And Annabella Sciorra is nothing short of amazing. Ten years after her last performance, a singer struggles with life itself. She considers suicide but stops herself at the last moment. She has a series of menial jobs, and is dealing with her dad who has amassed a pile of junk he's collected his whole life. It's hard to describe this film, but when it ended, I felt like I was hit with a velvet sledgehammer. One of the best films I've seen in quite a while.

My attention was caught at the very first screen when the quote from The Guest House was displayed, and I quickly settled in when she confronted the guy in the grocery store. This is a wonderful movie about life; how our perception of it affects how we respond in the world and the impact positive and negative words and actions have on those around us.

I started not to watch b/c of the low reviews. But I liked her so much in Law & Order, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. Thinking back about scenes in the movie all day I've laughed out loud.

Annabella Sciorra is a one woman show here. Samantha has hit a wall, and can't decide whether to give up, or try to go over it, or if she should even care either way. This film gently explores what happens when we forget the point of living. It's a beautiful meditation on coming to an understanding with ourselves. Manhattan is as much a character here as it is the setting, but instead of representing existential angst as in so many films, it's a comfortable oasis of familiarity for Samantha - her natural element. Watching this film, I felt like I was looking into someone's real life rather than seeing a movie. I get it.

In the wrong hands, heavy handed hands, this plot could have been played as soap, as hackneyed, as a total bore. But the director, with help from a very fine cast, presented pieces of a life without going over the top or insulting the audience by hammering in the point. This was a fine movie marked by fine performances. Nothing blew up, and there were no bad guys.