My Suicide

The first 20 minutes or so I found my self rolling my eyes and irritated with the main character. But I think I was supposed to. This movie was over the top at times, but it still had something important to say. By the end, I felt very much invested in this character and why he does what he does. It certainly isn't perfect but I'm happy I stuck it out to see the message.

I attended the North American Premiere of "My Suicide" at the 2009 SXSW Film Festival where it screened to a sold-out 1300-seat Paramount Theatre. I'm always looking for the "sweet little American indie." You can now add "My Suicide" to the list -- although "sweet" and "little" may not apply. It's more of a "heartwrenching big American indie." When his high school class is instructed to submit a class project, Archie Williams (Gabriel Sunday) has the perfect video in mind -- he'll film his own suicide. Classmates and adults alike reel in horror at the prospect, but some aren't so disturbed by it. Count among them the vivacious Sierra Silver (Brooke Nevin), every boy's wet dream, whose fascination with Archie's idea is puzzling to the self-professed loner. As friends, family, and an assorted flock of professionals come out of the woodwork in well-intentioned attempts to dissuade him from this act, he begins to wake up to the reality that he's not alone in his pain.

"My Suicide" was directed by David Lee Miller from a story he co-wrote with his son Jordan. The screenplay was written by David along with Eric J. Adams and star Gabriel Sunday. The film was edited by Jordan and Gabriel.

Miller had his hands firmly at the wheel but was able to throw many conventions out the window because much of what we are seeing is through the eyes of a high school student -- Archie (Gabriel Sunday), not Miller. Although many young people are keenly aware of how to make amateur video look professional, there was a danger in production values being of too high quality. So, much like the mind of a teenager, the first act in particular is a cinematic assault on the senses, with frenetic cuts, chaotic sound, and dazzling visuals. Still, Miller's movie makes the most of its small budget and cuts no such corners.

"My Suicide" is actually quite amusing as events unfold. Once the viewer gets past the initial shock of Archie's plans it becomes apparent that life in a YouTube world can be a hallucinatory pleasure. Counterintuitively, living in Archie's suicidal mind is a high from which we never want to come down. But, like any mind-altering substance, we know it won't last. The film turns dark as expected but in completely unexpected ways.

This is clearly Gabriel Sunday's film. Now 23, he was only 19 when production began in early 2005. His performance as the tortured teen left many audience members shaking their heads in wonder. The ability to carry a film like this is quite rare for a young actor with such a small body of work to his credit, let alone the fact that he had such a large hand in writing, shooting, and editing the film. This was only his first feature -- he's done a bit of television, mostly after "My Suicide" was filmed. Many more are sure to follow.

Brooke Nevin is a delight as Archie's foil, occasional foe, and would-be friend. Her character is destined to either unravel Archie's plans or cement them. It is a tribute to Nevin's ability to keep her emotions close to the vest that viewers are constantly being challenged.

In addition to Sunday and Nevin, the all-star cast features star turns from David Carradine as the legendary poet Vargas and Joe Mantegna as the shrink who earns Archie's trust. Mariel Hemingway is delightful as Sierra's clueless, narcissistic mother. Some of the film's most heartwrenching, tear-inducing scenes owe their power to Nora Dunn's loving portrayal of Archie's mom and some of the classmates who enter Archie's life, in particular Zachary Ray Sherman (Corey) and Michael Welch (Earl). Supporting cast members all show great dedication to the project, including Vanessa Lengies, Tony Hale, and Kurtis Bedford.

The concept of a movie within a movie is certainly not new but the level to which the idea is executed here is simply breathtaking. Miller and his team have created a technological marvel that never allows the stunning visuals to overshadow the film's urgent message. This is one of those rare films that not only can be appreciated by just about anyone but should -- must be seen by anyone who has ever searched for love and acceptance. In short, everyone.

My love for disturbing movies is brought up again after watching this fantastic film. Awesome graphics, raw emotion, and a realistic portrayal of human suffering is demonstrated throughout.

The actor who claimed Archie's role was both charming and relatable with his honest personality. His crush, Sierra, is the typical gorgeous blonde, but we find that she has way more to herself than her killer looks. I really liked this because it's a reminder that we truly never know a person until...well...until we get to know them.

This movie had me laughing, crying, and gaping at the screen as the fantasy-like animation and true-to-life filming switched back and forth. (Usually not in an obnoxious way, but some people might not like it.) It also does display pornography and nudity (not excessively, but perhaps enough to make someone uncomfortable) along with lots of swearing, so it may not suit everyone.

Though it was a strange and risky movie, it is definitely an awesome film. 4/5

Thank you, Netflix, for introducing me to this little gem. Archie's Final Project (or, listed on Netflix by its original title, "My Suicide") caught my eye due to its themes of teen suicide and school controversies; I was the subject of a similar school controversy myself at 12-years-old that resulted in my expulsion and attempted suicide before such things were really discussed and explored in depth. Thus, anything that features these important themes attracts me like a fly to light.

Gabriel Sunday plays Archie Williams, a 17-year-old media geek who announces to his media class that his final project will be to film his suicide. He also seems to believe his entire life is a movie--as another review said, this is another interesting take on the Truman Show delusion that serves its own twists and turns. Thus begins one of the most unique and interesting movies I've ever seen. My Suicide is filmed almost like a documentary, as if we are, in fact, watching Archie's final project after his planned suicide. Interwoven between scenes of the aftermath of Archie's suicide film announcement are montages of colorful teenage visual ramblings, further character development of Archie and his troubled crush Sierra, and bursts of dark comedy. Sunday is absolutely mesmerizing to watch as Archie; he was just 19 when he played the role, and he plays it so believably. Undeniably charming, troubled, awkward, odd, yet fantastically skilled at playing both sides of the line between comedy and tragedy, Sunday is nothing short of amazing, and his few film/TV credits since this are baffling to me. Why in the world isn't this man in more stuff?

A total surprise to me was Sierra's inclusion in the story (played by Brooke Nevin). At first, I thought she would distract the film from its suicidal/teen angst themes and instead focus it on teenage romance. While there is an undeniable romantic connection between Archie and Sierra, it is realistically grounded in tragedy, a skewed immature teen vision of love (shown perfectly in a surprisingly intimate mutual cutting scene), and a shared troubled mental state. My Suicide is at times hard to watch because you are watching confused teens make bad decisions or simply refuse to take important decisions seriously with lax attitudes at the risk of fatal consequences; yet, because of that, it is utterly realistic and devastating. This movie made me both laugh out loud and dread the eventual ending as I feared these characters would make the ultimate decision. Without spoilers, I can say that at least one teenager in the movie commits suicide; while the act itself isn't shown, the aftermath is (including the body) and it's soul-wrenching. It's a depressingly beautiful scene that wallows in its finality and shocking morbidity; as someone who has attempted suicide, I appreciated the way this scene was handled.

My Suicide appears to have been quite the indie darling upon its release in 2009, evidenced by its many awards at multiple film festivals. It deserves them all, though they clearly didn't give the film the exposure it truly deserves. At times delightfully comedic and at other times oppressively tragic, My Suicide starts out like a teenager's school project and seems to mature along with its protagonist as the seconds go by and the darker themes crawl over each scene like an oppressive fog. Every second of its journey is interesting and hit me close to the heart.

I just saw this movie earlier tonight at a screening, and I can honestly say that it was an excellent movie. I do hope that it gets a theatrical release. It was very different from any other movie that I have ever seen and I think that's what makes it so interesting and delightful. It is a little dark and has a lot of vulgar language, but that it was makes the movie so realistic and able to relate to. And then again, it is about suicide. Also, the movie has a great message and has a a compelling way to get through to the audience, and more importantly, the youth. Because the youth is what it is mainly targeting towards. Definitely go see it because not a lot of movies like this are out there.