Kerry Bernhardt

I have never been able to get into the tv series “this is us” and I typically don’t enjoy films that try too hard to tug on the heartstrings with ridiculous dialogue and unnecessary tragedy. I almost didn’t watch this film knowing that it was from the same writer and was even more convinced I wouldn’t enjoy this film after reading some of the reviews. But, that pesky amazon menu kept featuring it and after much toggling around for other viewing options I reluctantly decided to give it a try, fully expecting I was in for some cheesy “lifetime”-esque film. Sigh. Now I’m not sure exactly how this film so satisfyingly melted away all those prejudices and made me enjoy perhaps unnecessary tragedy and hints of ridiculous dialogue. Maybe it was because the narrator was quick to point out that the dialogue we heard was NOT what the character actually said, but would say if they could articulate and verbalize all the inner depths of what they really felt. I guess I liked the idea of that (I certainly can relate) ...That along with the thematic element of the story which was the unreliable narrator and that life itself is the truly the most unreliable narrator of all. Perhaps it was the use of that device that enabled me to relax into the film and allowed me to expunge my pre-film prejudices because I found myself thoroughly riveted by the idea and enjoyed the ride (albeit a tragic one) of this film... And now I sit here writing a review (which I NEVER do) because I am still reveling in what I just watched and feel confounded to wholly disagree with the pros on this one. I don’t know that they got it wrong; I just don’t think they got it at all. I read one review that said it was “tragedy porn”. While I love that term and will be inclined to use it someday to describe something I deem as uneccessarily tragic-cheesy in the future I just think it too quickly dismissed what this film really has to say about life. And that is that life IS tragic; it does bring us to our knees, but if we keep moving forward,( just a little) we find love. I can most certainly relate to THAT. And any film that makes me ponder my own rollercoaster of glories and pitfalls, and even has me gaze into the history of how I came to be a participant in this great play called life is both noteworthy and relevant. And that is what a great drama should do...make us reflect on our own.