Evelyn

As Netflix describes this documentary, it is truly emotional from beginning to end. In the beginning we find out that the son and brother of a British family committed suicide 13 years earlier. The movie is not only about remembering and honouring Evelyn, who took his own life, but showing the long struggle of the family - especially Evelyn's siblings - and how coping with such an enormous loss seems to be almost impossible for the people who loved him the most. This movie is a journey from fear, silence and maybe even denial to something that slowly develops into acceptance, talking and coping with the loss. Apart from the camera work that was from time to time very poor, and therefore took much more space in the film than it should have , the movie is so beautiful and painful one will not easily forget about Evelyn and his family. The viewer is being reminded of all the good that Evelyn brought to people's lives as well as the agony he left behind. There's a bittersweet balance between these two perspectives in this film. It is also acknowledged - both during and after the movie - how sadly common suicides are and how the stigma should be reduced. Talking about suicide and personal experiences around the subject is brilliantly being "passed on" to the viewer as something that should and needs to be done. "Being weak is ok" seems to be one of the mottos of the movie - and that is a wonderful way to send out support to other people who might be going through the same thing in their lives and/or social circles.

I happened upon this as a Netflix suggestion and oh my gosh, I was gripped from the start. Mental illness and suicide are never easy subjects to discuss, let alone invite the world into your pain. This film was real and tender and intensely gracious in its message of profound grief and deeply felt loss within a family. Powerful reminder of how our lives touch others.

Powerful heartfelt trauma of a family dealing with tragedy. Fabulous film of a courageous way to cope with loss. A must watch.

My love and deep respect to all involved.

This is a heavy, heavy film. It is a film about grief-a theme already explored in many ways this year alone (Midsommar, The Farewell, The Nightingale), but never this intimately or confrontational. Grief is one of the most mysterious and unpredictable parts of our nature, and it is bravely unpacked in this film, as if reopening a box of long lost memories...

Evelyn is a retreat along the path once walked by a brother and a son, as each family member pieces together and rebuilds the memory of him through reflection, emotion, logic, dreams, catharsis, and rediscovery.

Evelyn is a brave film, because it puts on display the complexities of grief and how much it differs among individuals. A single retreat may be healing for one person and provocative & unsettling for another who may have already made peace. We see a distant family come together as all of the moving parts of grief unfold in front of the camera, and nothing about it is easy or neat. But it is organic. It is courageous. It is universal. You can feel the suppressed become unsuppressed. You can feel an unwanted layer of pain peeled off of this family the way you sweat out toxins in a sauna. And from the emotionally affecting sister to the almost comically irritating dad, you really form a bond with this family from the beginning.

It's soul-wrenching and challenging, but in all the necessary ways. Evelyn being on Netflix may or may not undo any damage associated with Netflix's 13 Reasons Why, but it is a step in the right direction for mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

An essential watch.

I appreciate the authenticity and courage of this family to be open in the filming of their grief. The film was honest and the camera work and landscape suited the tone perfectly. The father...he was incredibly hard to watch. He has great kids though, I loved their relationship and the old home movies from when they were kids added to the layers beautifully.