Review of Following Sean (2006) by Jennifer M — 12 Jun 2011

An enjoyable documentary, I think especially if you were a child or a young person in the 60s as I was. This film is a follow-up film to the earlier documentary "Sean"; where the filmmaker, Ralph Arlyck follows the daily life of a young boy Sean Farrell who lives in Haught Ashbury in the 60s with his tuned in and tuned out parents.

This second following of Sean catches up with him in his early 30s to presumably see how a young boy that grows up in such a manner might fair. What we find is an intelligent grounded young man that pretty much is not much different than those that may have been raised in a "average" American household.

This film seems to be less about Sean, though the filmmaker's admiration if not love for him is evident, but about the struggle with which road on the path of life is better traveled; and for me seems to say in the end it's more about the spirit traveling than the road itself.

We not only meet Sean and those who are now in his life, but catch up with his parents and some of his siblings. We also get a good glimpse of Arlyck's life and family and his own results of the path in life he and his wife chose to take.

This is an interesting introspective of the results of our life choices and human nature itself.