Before I Go

Annabella Sciorra is a one woman show here. Samantha has hit a wall, and can't decide whether to give up, or try to go over it, or if she should even care either way. This film gently explores what happens when we forget the point of living. It's a beautiful meditation on coming to an understanding with ourselves. Manhattan is as much a character here as it is the setting, but instead of representing existential angst as in so many films, it's a comfortable oasis of familiarity for Samantha - her natural element. Watching this film, I felt like I was looking into someone's real life rather than seeing a movie. I get it.

I started not to watch b/c of the low reviews. But I liked her so much in Law & Order, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. Thinking back about scenes in the movie all day I've laughed out loud.

This movie is really good. It ebbs and flows. I laughed so hard at one part my son came in to see what was wrong. Because I couldn't stop laughing. There is a lull toward the end that kinda dragged but once it gets there it all comes together in the end. Highly recommend. Annabella Scioro was FANTASTIC. She was so good the viewer can totally get where she is coming from. Well worth your time to watch.

I haven't seen Anabella Sciorria in anything for ages. I did not recognise her at first!

Yes, this is slow moving, but that's just what depression feels like. A slow, slow sludge, dragging you down whilst you shuffle around and pretend you're living.

Would watching this cure you of depression? No, but it does provide some sort of understanding of the condition and how debilitating it can be.

There were moments of offbeat humour and some equally odd supporting characters. I loved the story of the earthworm, how original, I even felt touched!

It's very refreshing for a movie with this type of subject matter not to have a dark ending. Thankfully this did not follow the stereotype.

Besides the fact that I lived for over two decades in the neighborhood in which this film takes place, there was so much I related to. The life stage in which the protagonist, Samantha, beautifully and realistically played by Annabella Sciorra found herself was so right on. I was a little annoyed when someone told her she was depressed and she denied it as I thought someone "like her" i.e., artist, New York sophisticated, etc., would know she was depressed, or would admit to it, anyway. But, OK, maybe she wasn't so savvy...? Or was just too depressed to engage?

But she did embody so much of what I know to be a depressed artist, hell, a depressed person, at a stage in life considering where do I go from here, if anywhere? Maybe I should just pack it in. But she did find reasons to live, related to all she thought she'd given up and though it was predictable, so what? Who doesn't want a happy ending, especially these days? The bottom line is the script works. Really well.

Oh, let me not forget to mention the moments of humor in Before I Go. Subtle, yes, but in my book that's the way humor should be, especially in a film about depressed or otherwise Morningside Heights characters.