Unflinching and uncompromising, Rewind is a documentary that isn't afraid to dive deep into the issues of abuse and trauma that it explores across its relatively brief 80 minute runtime as documentarian and main subject Sasha Neulinger delves into his own childhood and his families horrific experiences that spanned generations.
Given access to 100's of hours of home video footage that was shot by his various family members over the course of his childhood and teenage years, Rewind is a unique experience for both Neulinger and us as audience members as we witness first hand the effects of his traumatic childhood events take hold on him, despite these occurrences now years in the past.
Now an advocate and supporter of networks established to support those that have unfortunately become victims of abuse, Neulinger should be commended for opening up the wounds of his past to help heal the present and offer hope for those that to have had their childhoods sullied by the evil acts of others.
We bare witness to Sasha as a care free and happy natured boy that slowly but surely morphs into a repressed and angry being in past footage, while in more present day scenes Sasha interviews those that were prevalent in his life such as his mother, father, therapist and detectives that eventually worked on his case that made headlines across the globe.
Rarely have issues such as the ones raised in Rewind been so openly put forward on film and explored in such a no fuss manner, there's no hidden agendas here or ulterior motives that make themselves apparent, this is simply a warts and all expose of the long-lasting effects and first hand experiences that abuse has on its victims.
It's stirring stuff, heart-wrenching more often than not but its material and subject matter we as humans need to readily explore and understand as to this day actions that we see in Rewind remain far to common in today's society.
Final Say -
Tough viewing but the type of viewing that enhances ones understanding of issues that would be much easier to ignore than confront, Rewind is a gripping documentary and a hugely important one, with credit to Sasha Neulinger who was brave enough to embrace his own past for the betterment of the future.
4 roast turkey's out of 5
