Review of My Life Without Me (2003) by Tero H — 26 Jan 2009

Well-thought story, but I felt like the movie which began so interestingly got way too slow paced the nearer it got to the end. Also, the actual end, like what happened to Ann, her family and relatives was not shown.

The topic was interesting so the movie seemed quite captivating at first. Then it seemed to me like the story was slowing down gradually and losing ground rapidly while it was doing so. Frankly, I found the movie tedious and in the end quite boring. I felt like acting was fine and the movie was well directed, but the film lost its potential and didn't really say much about anything at all.

I noticed there were very many close shots of people's faces. Did the director want to evoke more intense emotional response from the viewer? I have no idea, but it softened the movie, like, brought it closer to your skin. I dont know why but it just didn't solve the problem I had with the film - no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't figure out what the film was all about. Choices? Ann didn't have much choice, did she? So what was the film about? I felt like I had gone to a really important math lesson at school and the teacher had finished suddenly a while before the lesson should have been over officially. Most students would jump out the class happily if they found the lesson boring, but some who actually were interested felt like they had been left hung out to dry. "My life" part was shown, but not the part "without me", you know? The story ends too quickly. Wait. Maybe that was what it was about? That the structure of the movie would signify something? I have no idea, so I give up with this one. I liked Sarah Polley though.