I Want to Jump

The Paulsen family appear to have it all- a beautiful home in Florida - spiritually full lives and a love for each other that can withstand anything until older son Justin (Ellijah Passmore) begins to exhibit disturbing behaviour which quickly spirals out of control leading to a suicide attempt hospitalisation and a diagnosis of suicidal obsessive compulsive disorder.

I Want To Jump is an ensemble piece and each actor in the Paulsen family brings so much to the table its almost like their individual arcs are a dense nuanced story within itself.

Justin shows a complex and empathetic performance of a young person on the edge trying to hold on when everything else is screaming at him to give up.

Deborah played Jana Lee Hamblin is the well meaning mother who finds herself suffering a crisis of faith engulfed in a mixture of grief rage and paranoia.

Eddie Mclintock Shines as father Randy the charismatic Florida man obsessive over achiever fighting to keep his family together who seems to be able to accomplish anything he sets his mind on except for understanding his sons illness.

Youngest son Brandon (Brody Hull) barely says a word through out the film but his silent expressions contains multitudes. His restrained performance reminded me of Robert De Niros daughter in "The Irishman". They say nothing but they understand everything.

The film highlights the challenges and frustrations navigating the complexities of the healthcare system and the complete inadequacy of organized religion in the form of the families church who believe they should treat Justin's condition as a spiritual problem rather then a health issue with disastrous results.

I Want To Jump is not an easy film to watch but nor should it be. Its emotional authenticity and lived experience of the filmmakers make it a compelling story about grief and recovery.