Getting Over

Getting Over was warmly received at its world premiere at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. Jason Charnick has made a unique and deeply personal film telling the story of the father he barely knew. His father, Ray, was a lifelong heroin addict and thief who spent most of Jason's life in prison. In the weeks before his father died at age 47 of AIDS, Jason's uncle Arnie filmed 17 hours of interviews of Ray. After years of procrastinating, Jason finally watched the tapes and learned the story of the father he never knew. He has taken these tapes and turned them into a beautifully made personal story of his lost father's life. In the process, he seemed to liberate himself of many of his own demons and learns about aspects of his own life and childhood memories that were not how he had understood them. Charnick offers us a journey inside the deeply flawed life of addict. His message is an important one today as he tries to humanize an addict's journey. He wants us all to see the human side of those who are lost in the bleak self-destructive world of addiction. Through his own family's story he also shines a light on the subject of intergenerational trauma. The film is powerful and beautifully edited as it takes us on a journey down the dark road of addiction and self-destruction. Highly recommended for those willing to travel to a very dark place.

This film, although obviously a freshman effort, is an intimate mediation on what it means to finally understand the humanity of your parents. The sometimes clunky narrative is framed by a very personal portrait of a family affected by persistent trauma. If you enjoyed the emotional content of Kulap V. 's "Origin Story", the depth of this film will appeal to you. Overall a great long form doc.

This is an excellent documentary made by a son to try to better understand the father he never knew. It is a compelling, emotional and well done film that helps the viewer come to their own understanding of addiction and how it's victims are as worthy of respect as anyone else. Powerful.

I frankly don't care about this "father's" story. I personally never realized how angry I was with my father until I had children of my own. Then I was was also furious with my mother, who to my way of thinking, let this person off the hook for his obligations. Don't know, don't care, don't call, don't write. You made your bed a lifetime ago. Some people should be neutered at birth. You have to get a license to drive a car, for goodness sake. I am old enough to be a grandparent now and this sort of discussion can still reduce me to blubbering tears. If you're this parent and you fled, stay gone.

I found this documentary to be insightful and raw. There are many families who have generational struggles all over the world. Thank you for showing us a look inside yours, I can definitely connect with is documentary.