An American Reunion

Without sounding holier than thou, I hope that my comments are not taken out of context.

A couple decades ago I was cheering with a Professional football team and several of my peers and I were at a charity event, where I met Jim Fitzpatrick. At the time Jimmy was playing for another professional football team in the same town called the Tampa Bay Bandits.

After the event about a dozen of us went to Bennegens for a bite to eat. Needless to say, libation followed. Only then did we begin talking about our personal lives, when I opened up to our group about one of my relatives committing suicide.

Jim was immediately focused and supportive simultaneously like I've never seen anyone become involved before when I talked about my cousin.

Jim had known somebody that had taken their life that he knew in high school and now I come to find out a girl he dated in high school also did the same. Jim's a very emotional guy that always cared enough to listen to other peoples problems to the point that he became somewhat like psychiatrist. Thanks for making this movie Jimmy.

It helps everybody to know they're not alone with this situation.

I have never seen a movie that was so hilariously specific to exacting a suicide attempt, as a way of saying what needed to be said to prevent it.

It appears that thousands of people that eventually do commit suicide, didn't have such a strong clique of good friends to compel the depressed person to consider the upside of a tough life.

Most people have been sheltered and babied so much, that they become such big babies when it comes to their personal needs and unrequited desires, that it's important to spell-out the good times and memories that placed them in such a negative situation.

Psychology is stranger and deeper than most people could ever imagine, unless you've known that person for years and years. It's a great thing to show the importance of friendship and support, through-out our lives. This pseudo true story is money when it describes relationships past and future with this prose.

ex: The character Jamie is asked, "Do you ever finds it's harder to give someone new everything you have, when you've already given someone else, everything you had?" DEEP...and true. I found this project to be beautifully shot and on the money with the acting and directing. What a subtle gem!

I found this particular piece to be so tough to swallow, that the reality was unbearable. As a society, we either choose to learn and grow from each obstacle we encounter, or we choose to wallow in it. Although I have experienced both sides of the pain, this film brought back so many harsh memories. And while the film is a true story, maybe it should have been released as a docudrama. Hard to watch, but good. As far as the technical aspect of the piece, I found it executed with a sense of simplicity that reminded me of films from the mid to late 60's and 70's. I have never liked films that jump around from angle to angle, unless the frenetic style was important.

My fiance' Jonah and I used to live below the Jodi & Jim Fitzpatrick in Los Angeles back in the early 90's. They were very talented actors, but also lived their lives as common folks. No egos, no attitudes, just fun loving naturally kind hearted people. They enjoyed the holidays, especially Christmas and I remember them showing all of the Christmas cartoons "Frosty," "Charlie Brown," "Rudolph," and I remember thinking how sweet that was for all of us to watch. It brought back memories. Then one day, I remember Jimmy getting a call from his mother that his High School girlfriend shot & killed herself...shocking. But, instead of Jimmy becoming depressed, he wrote a play about their relationship and a ten year reunion called "Ten Year." I know this because my fiance' (then husband) Jonah played a role in the play. Finally when we saw the movie we were so touched and happy for them, because the movie ended-up being an homage to past loves lost and friendships taken for granted. So, Jodi & Jimmy, congratulations on making such a deeply touching film. We love you both and we miss you.

My heart ached for the past while I watched this story unfold, because it made me relive, and rethink my old friendships...my loves of my life...and the choices I made that took me away from them. It rang true to MY life as well as others that i went to the screening with, because it made me miss my friends that have passed on. I painfully loved this film, because I've lived it! It had me frozen to my seat for the entirety of the picture and even then, i knew that I wouldn't see anything else that moved me so much.

"American Reunion" takes serious things and turns them into an educational, comical and more dramatic version of life itself. The film uses characters like Larry and Cindy to show the parity of wisdom versus clarity. Larry himself represents the naive child looking at the world as an educated person without the real wisdom of his age group. To watch this film as a life lesson is probably the best thing that you can do. You feel almost as if you are as vulnerable as Larry if you've ever experienced a drug problem, instead of just pitying Larry like most people do. I think the point of the film is to show that through the eyes of a lost soul in the world, and whatever difficulties one is facing, that friendship really can seem magical if you just look at things without the cynical view finder that we seem to use today. Jamie's character has an ability to look at things more simply, having gone away, then returned to face his old friends and lovers. I think for this reason alone, this film should be considered, one of the best films ever. Even after we watched this movie with other strangers, everyone that have watched the film has the impact of empathy on it's audience so that for ten minutes after the film everyone feels wiser and unified in humanity. This film is one the greatest films of all time, if you ask me.