Sometimes I Think About Dying
Reviews
Manuel São Bento
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/sometimes-i-think-about-dying-review-sundance-2023 "Sometimes I Think About Dying tackles social anxiety and loneliness in a purposefully dull yet intriguing fashion. Lingering cinematography, atmospheric score, and a phenomenal Daisy Ridley somehow make it all work, but its uneventful, repetitive narrative won't be for everyone." Rating: B-
Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots
**By: Louisa Moore / www.ScreenZealots.com** I really love “Sometimes I Think About Dying,” director Rachel Lambert‘s low-key, melancholy character piece about a socially awkward woman who has an unmet desire for human connection. The unhurried pacing and measured storytelling may be challenging for some viewers, but this little film that seems to be about nothing is actually rooted in depth and has a keen understanding of what it feels like to suffer with crippling social awkwardness. Living in a small coastal town on the dreary Oregon coast, Fran (Daisy Ridley) spends much of her time alone and often daydreams about dying. She works at a drab office and quietly observes her more outgoing coworkers as they chat with each other and go about their daily routines. She describes herself as “not very interesting,” is quiet and reserved, isn’t very sociable, has no friends, and mostly keeps to herself. This shyness is often mistaken for aloofness, and most everyone steers clear of any interactions with her. Things change when the friendly and slightly awkward Robert (Dave Merheje) starts a job at the company, and he takes an interest in Fran. She’s afraid to give friendship a chance, but there’s something different about him that may just make Robert the first person whom she allows to really get to know her. There isn’t a whole lot of plot, but Lambert manages to keep her film compelling. Her storytelling style is highly detailed, which gives a warmth to the bleak tone. Nothing feels forced. Lambert paints a dreary portrait of humanity, but does so with wit, style, charm, and humor. There’s so much subtlety in what’s left unspoken, and the film shows us Fran’s professional and personal life, but never tells us what to feel. The film is well cast from top to bottom, including Parvesh Cheena, Marcia DeBonis, and Megan Stalter, who add a lot of amusement as Fran’s office mates, and Merheje and Ridley feel charmingly authentic. Right down to her body language, from avoiding eye contact to a slouched posture when her character is feeling uncomfortable, Ridley wholly embodies what it must feel like to be Fran. It’s a skilled, effective performance, and one with few spoken words. It may sound like a hard sell to sit through a movie that’s focused on a lead character who suffers from severe social anxiety, but “Sometimes I Think About Dying” is a good, simple story that’s told well. It’s a captivating film that gracefully expresses the need for human connection while being unable to rid yourself of debilitating melancholia.
liena
the best performance of daisy ridley, hands down. however, the movie's premise was obviously more suitable for a short movie and it lacked energy at some scenes. i still enjoyed it and i loved how well shot it was, the scenery was extremely beautiful.
CinemaSerf
"Fran" (Daisy Ridley) likes to keep herself to herself. She's very much on the periphery of things at work and goes home to her favourite cottage cheese and bed by 10.15 most evenings. The arrival of "Robert" (Dave Merheje) shakes things up a little when his request for some office provisions leads to a trip to the cinema to see "Departure" (2015). Though it could never be described as racy, what now ensues watches the two get a little close and a better acquainted. She reveals to him that as she looks from her cubicle window at the huge cranes loading and unloading the ships, she imagines herself swinging from one of them - and not in the way a child might! A chance meeting with the recently retired "Carol" (Marcia DeBonis) in a diner might help "Fran" recalibrate her priorities though! This is a far cry from anything Ridley has done thus far, and shows her as an actor of considerable versatility. The writing works quite well here, too. Sparingly used between the main characters but more plentifully used to illustrate the banal nature of her life at work - especially with boss "Isobel" (Megan Stalter) who has verbal diarrhoea in just about every way you can imagine. The story takes quite an interesting look at those (slightly) later in life who are in a rut and content to remain so but I'm afraid this whole scenario doesn't really make for gripping cinema. Indeed, at times the director seems content to leave us with only the superficial glimpse of the characters and together with the bleak and dull nature of the lighting, creates an ennui all of it's own. It's not so much that nothing really happens, it's that I wasn't really bothered either way if it did or didn't. The whole thing is all just a bit too lacklustre. It's fine, this film, but not much more.
badelf
Rachel Lambert's "Sometimes I Think About Dying" exists in that peculiar liminal space between captivating and tedious—a film rescued from its own narrative thinness by extraordinary performances and meticulous visual storytelling. Daisy Ridley's Fran is a masterclass in minimalist acting. As an office worker whose interior life dwarfs her external expression, Ridley communicates volumes through microexpressions and body language. A slight shift in posture, a barely perceptible eye movement—these become seismic emotional events in Ridley's hands. Dave Merheje's Robert provides the perfect counterbalance, his extroverted warmth creating a gravitational pull that both attracts and terrifies Fran. Lambert's direction shines in her visual translation of introversion. The camera often observes Fran from above or at a distance, perfectly capturing both her self-consciousness and her remove from the world around her. These compositions aren't just aesthetically interesting; they're emotional architecture, building a visual language for the invisible experience of social anxiety. The Oregon coast setting, with its perpetual gray skies and misty landscapes, becomes less a backdrop than an extension of Fran's inner weather. The region's gloomy beauty provides perfect environmental shorthand for a character whose mind constantly drifts toward darkness despite moments of startling beauty. What prevents the film from reaching greatness is its meandering screenplay. Scenes linger past their natural conclusion, and the narrative occasionally loses momentum, particularly in the second half. Yet there's something almost appropriate about this pacing—introversion itself isn't efficient or economical, but measured and cautious. "Sometimes I Think About Dying" isn't making grand philosophical statements about the human condition or the nature of introvert-extrovert attraction. It's simply observing one specific connection with uncommon visual intelligence and performance depth. The film's power lies not in what it says but in how attentively it watches.
Movie Recommendation
Fremont2023-08-25Donya, a lonely Afghan refugee and former translator, spends her twenties drifting through a meager existence in Fremont, California. Shuttling between her job writing fortunes for a fortune cookie factory and sessions with her eccentric therapist, Donya suffers from insomnia and survivor's guilt over those still left behind in Kabul as she desperately searches for love.More...
My Side of the Mountain1969-06-25Thirteen-year-old Sam Gribley, a devotee of Thoreau, decides to leave the city to spend a sabbatical in the Canadian woods and see if he can make it as a self-sufficient spirit after his parents promise a summer trip that doesn't pan out.More...
Every Brilliant Thing2016-11-11A filmed version of Jonny Donahoe’s acclaimed one-man show about depression, suicide and the lengths to which people go for those they love. Poignant and humorous, it follows a young boy who attempts to ease his mother’s depression by starting an enormous running list of everything worth living for.More...
A New Kind of Wilderness2024-04-15In a forest in Norway, a family lives an isolated lifestyle in an attempt to be wild and free, but a tragic event changes everything, and they are forced to adjust to modern society.More...
Imago2024-11-08Ela is a rebellious artist struggling with the deep gray everyday life of Poland in the 1980's, including family problems and personal demons originating in bipolar disorder.More...
The Last of the Blonde Bombshells2000-08-26After Elizabeth's husband dies, she begins to play her tenor saxophone again, and remembers when she was 15 and a member of the Blonde Bombshells, an all-girl (with one exception) swing band. Accompanied by the exception and urged on by her grand-daughter, Elizabeth hunts up all the old members of the band and urges them to perform, and in doing so, learns more than she knew about the band, its members, the roses on the drum set, and herself--the last of the Blonde Bombshells.More...
Pagg2018-02-28A Sikh-American makes a tragic decision in response to a hate crime on the 4th of July.More...
Remarriage Skills2019-10-17Kyung-Ho is a divorced man and has peaceful days. One day, his movie director friend Hyun-Soo appears in front of him. Hyun-Soo is active in helping Kyung-Ho get remarried. The two men decide to launch Kyung-Ho's second marriage project. Kyung-Ho takes an interest in two women: Mi-Kyung and Eun-Jung.More...
Mussum, o Filmis2023-11-02The trajectory of Antônio Carlos Bernardes Gomes, known as Mussum, from Trapalhões. His poor childhood, his military career, his relationship with Mangueira and his success with the group Originais do Samba, as well as behind the scenes as a member of Trapalhões.More...
Summer Hours2008-03-05After the death of a septuagenarian woman, her three children deliberate over what to do with her estate.More...
Starve Acre2024-07-26When their son starts acting strangely, a couple unwittingly allow dark and sinister forces into their home, awakening a long-dormant ancient evil rooted deep in the countryside.More...
The American Society of Magical Negroes2024-03-15A young man, Aren, is recruited into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white people’s lives easier.More...
Occupation2018-07-12Town residents must band together after a devastating alien invasion. As they struggle to survive, they realize they must stay one step ahead of their attackers and work together for a chance to strike back.More...
20 Days in Mariupol2023-07-14As the Russian invasion begins, a team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol struggle to continue their work documenting the war's atrocities.More...
The Three Musketeers: Milady2023-12-13D'Artagnan, on a quest to rescue the abducted Constance, runs into the mysterious Milady de Winter again. The tension between the Catholics and the Protestants finally escalates, as the king declares war — forcing the now four musketeers into battle. But as the war goes on, they are tested physically, mentally and emotionally.More...
May December2023-11-16Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the pressure when an actress arrives to do research for a film about their past.More...
Bottle Rocket1996-02-21Upon his release from a mental hospital following a nervous breakdown, the directionless Anthony joins his friend Dignan, who seems far less sane than the former. Dignan has hatched a harebrained scheme for an as-yet-unspecified crime spree that somehow involves his former boss, the (supposedly) legendary Mr. Henry.More...
Deerskin2019-06-19A man's obsession with owning the designer deerskin jacket of his dreams leads him to turn his back on his humdrum life in the suburbs, blow his life savings, and even turn him to crime.More...
Main Hoon Na2004-04-30An army major goes undercover as a college student. His mission is both professional and personal: to protect his general's daughter from a radical militant, and to find his estranged half-brother.More...
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person2023-10-13Sasha is a young vampire with a serious problem: she's too sensitive to kill. When her exasperated parents cut off her blood supply, Sasha's life is in jeopardy. Luckily, she meets Paul, a lonely teenager with suicidal tendencies who is willing to give his life to save hers. But their friendly agreement soon becomes a nocturnal quest to fulfill Paul's last wishes before day breaks.More...
Similar Movies
Lost in Translation
2003-09-18Two lost souls visiting Tokyo -- the young, neglected wife of a photographer and a washed-up movie star shooting a TV commercial -- find an odd solace and pensive freedom to be real in each other's company, away from their lives in America.Wilbur Wants to Kill ...
2002-11-08The strange comedy film of two close brothers; one, Wilbur, who wants to kill himself, and the other, Harbour, who tries to prevent this. When their father dies leaving them his bookstore they meet a woman who makes their lives a bit better yet with a bit more trouble as well.The Fisher King
1991-09-20Two troubled men face their terrible destinies and events of their past as they join together on a mission to find the Holy Grail and thus to save themselves.Dead Poets Society
1989-06-02At an elite, old-fashioned boarding school in New England, a passionate English teacher inspires his students to rebel against convention and seize the potential of every day, courting the disdain of the stern headmaster.Boys Don't Cry
1999-09-02A young transgender man explores his gender identity and searches for love in rural Nebraska.Am I OK?
2024-06-06Lucy and Jane have been best friends for most of their lives and think they know everything there is to know about each other. But when Jane announces she's moving to London, Lucy reveals a long-held secret. As Jane tries to help Lucy, their friendship is thrown into chaos.Journeys from Berlin/...
1980-01-11An epic meditation on psychoanalysis, the Baader-Meinhof, feminism, and pre-revolutionary Russia.Love Is the Beginning...
1984-03-07Story concerns two friends, Freya and Irmtraut and their relationships with the same man, Traugott, who finds it impossible to choose between the two women.Change of Fate
1987-07-28A lawyer defends a wealthy woman accused of murder. She claims it was self-defense. The lawyer is not sure.Finnegan Begin Again
1985-02-24A schoolteacher in her early 40s, involved in a dead-end love affair with a married mortician, drifts into a relationship with an aging newspaperman.Keep the Change
2013-05-03A young man is forced to attend a support group that leads to an unexpected connection.Bird
2017-09-09When Sam, a woman mired in regret, goes to visit her aged parents, the disappearance of her mother's pet bird threatens to unravel her tenuous hold on life.D.E.B.S.
2005-03-25The star of a team of teenage crime fighters falls for the alluring villainess she must bring to justice.Dances with Wolves
1990-03-30Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.The Terminal
2004-06-17An Eastern European tourist unexpectedly finds himself stranded in JFK airport, and must take up temporary residence there.Out of Africa
1985-12-20Tells the life story of Danish author Karen Blixen, who at the beginning of the 20th century moved to Africa to build a new life for herself. The film is based on her 1937 autobiographical novel.Bridget Jones's Diary...
2001-04-13Bridget Jones is an average woman struggling against expectations. As a New Year's resolution, Bridget decides to take control of her life, starting by keeping a diary in which she will always tell the complete truth. Her charming boss takes an interest in her, and she cannot stop running into a rather disagreeable acquaintance whom Bridget cannot help finding quietly attractive.Everything Is Fine He...
No data for this movie25-year-old Arghavan lives with her parents in Tehran, and intends to marry her fiancé, Hesam. One day, her short stories win her a grant to attend a writing workshop in Germany. Soon before she is to leave, however, Arghavan is abducted and raped. In a strict, conservative society where young women are expected to be virgins before marriage, this is a social catastrophe. Plagued by gossip and finding little solace, Arghavan's life begins turning into a nightmare.Die schönste Bescheru...
2024-12-11Nobody in the Rigi family is really looking forward to the Christmas Child this year. 13-year-old Sima and her little brother Elyas know: Mom Leonie and dad Kian are going to split up! Even Kian's parents Britta and Navid, who want to spread Christmas cheer, can't turn the tide. Only after a false alarm about Elyas, who has suddenly disappeared, do the tensions ease. The newlyweds make a discovery on their doorstep: a baby just a few weeks old. After a confession from him, the search begins for the mother - and the reason why the foundling should be with parents who are separating.Rosamunde Pilcher: Fr...
2024-01-07Tessa Grant, the feisty owner of a bed and breakfast in Cornwall, and David Johnson, an upper-class charmer, face an unexpected turn in their lives. After David's mother Carol loses her fortune to a swindler, they are left with their inherited bed and breakfast. With the aim of selling the accommodation quickly, they move in with Tessa. The Johnsons' chaotic lifestyle clashes with Tessa's regular life. However, when they try to win over Tessa's best friend Bruce, unexpected feelings develop between Tessa and David.