Loneliness is the subject of Rachel Lambert’s poetic exploration sometimes i think about dyingAdapted from the live-action short film of the same name (based on Kevin Alment’s play), which premiered at Sundance’s US Dramatic Competition and was shortlisted for an Academy Award. murderer), Lambert’s film is a quiet look at the life of Fran (Daisy Ridley), the most laid-back woman in fantasy.
Fran is portrayed too clearly to be just an avatar, but her impression of loneliness is a reminder of how modern life fosters uneasy isolation. Never has it been more apparent than at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when it became clear how much of us are living in isolation. sometimes i think about dyingand a graceful treatise on how making connections can be challenging yet liberating.
sometimes i think about dying
Conclusion
A poetic and unhurried observation of loneliness.
Getting involved isn’t easy for Fran, a single woman in a sleepy town in Oregon. The film opens with a sketch of amputation, a scene that highlights the ghostly presence of her protagonist. At her workplace (a medium-sized office dealing mostly with spreadsheets, budget reports, and possibly email meetings), her co-workers chatter, but they rarely talk to her. Fran sits in front of her computer, her three walls guarded by her cubicle, taking notes as she imagines all the ways she could die. .
Her visions are dark, eerie interludes of eerie patterns. In one scene, Fran stands in the basement of her office with a snake circling her ankle. In another, she lies in a mossy spot in a lush forest with bugs crawling across her opaque skin. Death is a strange one for Fran, where the musings of Lambert and cinematographer Dustin Lane approach without judgment. The duo employ a visual language built around a poetic attention to detail.like Stephen Cullum humanadaptation from another stage to the screen, sometimes i think about dying Inflate the stakes of the smallest or most mundane interactions through protracted shots.
In the capable hands of Lambert and Lane, the office (where most of the movies were filmed) has become a place of intense social interaction. An honest yet deeply introverted individual, Fran struggles to fit into this space. Because of her proximity, there are a few moments where you get caught up in a conversation or two. It is not nutritious.
Robert (Ramise Carol’s replacement, Dave Melheje, changes that for Fran. will be In a room with few windows, Fran secretly glanced at Robert. They meet formally in the break room, where Fran’s focus on making Keurig coffee is actually quiet pep talk.
In a short film directed by Stephanie Abel Horowitz (gets writing credit here), Fran reveals her thoughts in a narration. This feature eliminates that and instead lets Ridley work through performance. It’s her body language and carefully tuned tone that shows Fran’s interiority. They show a person negotiating their longing for connection and retreating to their own peace of mind.
Robert helps Fran by starting most of the interactions. In the break room, he asks for her name. Then send her a message on her Slack asking how to get her office supplies. These small gestures eventually lead to big questions. Does Fran want to see a movie? Answer: Absolutely. Ridley and Merheje have an understated chemistry that imbues their interactions with just the right level of awkwardness and unease. Robert’s curiosity about Fran manifests as questions that patiently listen and probe her for details.
would be too easy sometimes i think about dying By turning Robert and Fran’s relationship into one of contempt and a savior, Lambert, along with writers Alment, Horowitz, and Katie Wright Meade, portray Fran as a sympathetic By not sketching it as a vessel, it deftly avoids that fate. She has learned to care, but has agency when it comes to Robert, who can be overwhelming at times. Because (as one might argue), there is a world that values individual performance over people.
