Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine

So I remember the news coverage of Matt and went into this hesitant. After watching it I must say it was very well done and Matt's father reading his statement toward the end was very moving. I hope one day we will no longer need these because humans evolve past this hate

Very powerful documentary. I agree with another reviewer that it really reminded me of "Dear Zachary," at least insofar as how emotionally raw the film experience was. I don't normally tear up watching film or television, but this was a rough one. In fact I teared up just thinking about it the day after I watched it. The entire story just breaks my heart to its core. So much senseless tragedy.

This is the second or third documentary on Matthew I've watched now; in my opinion this film did him the most justice. I think Matthew was very fortunate to have befriended the documentarian. The film, as the title suggests, gives an intimate look into the life of Matthew Shepard. The good times, the bad times, as recalled by his closest family and friends. The documentarian did an excellent job humanizing Matthew, in my view. I found it very easy to become personally invested in Matthew watching this film. He was the proverbial boy next door.

At the end of the day, there's no real reconciling what happened to Matthew. It's just unconscionable and it's always going to hurt; but that's okay. Remembering Matthew, and others like him, should always evoke empathy and sorrow in the hearts and minds of any functional human being. My grandfather once told me, "the saddest words in the English language are 'what could have been.'" Those words have never rang truer for me when it comes to the story of Matthew Shepard; may he rest in peace.

The Matt Shepard case was revolutionary and brought some major social issues to the surface that maybe didn't get talked about enough. Because of that, Matt Shepard has kind of become a martyr and less of a real person. Matt Shepard Is A Friend of Mine shows Matt as a son, a brother, and a friend. It really helps you understand that this case isn't just about gay rights and hate crime legislation but the fact that such a wonderful person with so much potentially is now dead. It makes the case a whole lot more personal because for once, you see Matt Shepard as more that just a murder victim.

Doesn't really tell us anything we haven't known about the case, but then again, I don't think great documentaries' primary aim should be just to inform. It does remind me a lot of Dear Zachary, just in that the personal approach from the filmmaker shines through, and it makes the emotion that much more powerful. It's a lovely film, perhaps not anything we haven't seen before, but a beautiful one nonetheless. It also marks the beginning of what is hopefully a great career for a new documentarian, showing her skill in composing such a delicate, sensitive subject in film form. Really heartbreaking and tragic, be prepared to bring tissues because it doesn't go lightly.

As a young kid Matthew would leave beautiful stones in his neighbors' letterboxes just to let them know he was around. A beautiful life here given extra meaning by his family and friends. It must have been a heartbreaking task putting this documentary together. Peace.