By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Jay Duplass
Starring: Cooper Raiff | David Duchovny | Hope Davis | Kaitlyn Dever | Lucy Boynton
Year: 2026
Running time: 101
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34378128/
Michael says: “Jay Duplass follows up THE BALTIMORONS with a film vaguely related in theme (dealing with grief and suicide) but completely different in tone. This is family trauma at its most intense — and that is my jam. A strong family drama really works for me, and while there were a couple of moments that I thought might be going a trifle too far, ultimately, it all worked, featured some terrific performances, and with a story strongly rooted in a true story, really brought the emotions to the fore.
“Based on a true story, the Whistler family is reeling, months after the tragic loss of a family member and struggling to move forward. Hit the hardest is Aaron (Cooper Raiff), who lost Leah, his kid sister and best friend to suicide. His guilt, grief, and anger are all working together to thoroughly derail his life, whether it is his job, his relationship with the girl he ghosted after his sister’s death, or his relationship with his family. Worse, he keeps losing his good memories of his sister by the taint to her death. His mom (Hope Davis) is reeling in her own way, and when she gets potentially bad news about her health, she’s not sure she has the strength to move forward. Then there’s Dad (David Duchovny) and middle-child Emily (Lucy Boynton) who are forging ahead, but each dealing with Leah’s death and the fragmenting of their family in different ways.
“Duplass faces the trauma fearlessly, brings in a little humor to lighten the weight, but really lets the actors feel and inhabit their individual grief. There is a fascinating examination of a process for dealing with PTSD that involves filing away memories for when you need them so they don’t overwhelm your day to day existence. There are a few false endings, but the finale is earned, and heartfelt. Duplass really has a good handle on the difficulty and chaotic nature of grief, and how individual it is. Definitely a bit of a tear-jerker too. 4 1/2 cats
“Screened on June 11 at the Art House
Provincetown International Film Festival”
Vicki says: “I was anxious to see SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU because i have some knowledge of the real story. Unfortunately the film fell flat for me. It gestures toward something profound about connection, regret, and the people who drift through our lives, but never shows any interest in digging deeper than the surface.
“The film mistakes meandering for introspection, as if simply watching characters wander around feeling vaguely dissatisfied is enough to create emotional weight. There are a few strong moments scattered throughout, but they’re stranded in a narrative that feels content to coast on atmosphere rather than earn its emotions.
“What frustrated me the most is that there’s clearly a better movie lurking underneath all of this. The performances do a lot of heavy lifting, and every so often a scene lands with the kind of honesty the rest of the film keeps chasing. But those moments are the exception. More often, it feels like the movie is congratulating itself for being thoughtful while saying remarkably little.
“By the end, I’d checked my watch at least 4 times – not a good sign. 2.5 cats“