Educational Media Reviews Online

Cinéma vérité style is used to examine the life of Dr. Allan Levi in the year following his diagnosis with manic depression. This seemingly “normal” fellow, we learn, has lost his position as a university heart researcher due to his behavior in one of his manic cycles. Taking lithium to regulate his mood, he starts a small business selling remote-controlled model planes. Simultaneously his marriage crumbles as does his relationship with his children.

His wife plays an important part in the film, relating her perspective, and probably those of his children as well, to help us gain insight into Allan’s troubled existence. Whether it’s the medication or not, it is hard to tell, but Allan remains remarkably stable during the deterioration of his world, particularly when he discovers his wife is having an affair with the gardener. She seems considerably more stressed than he does. While his children voice their concerns about relating to their father, it is difficult to determine whether it is common parent/child struggles, or something more profound. This is where this otherwise fine production loses its punch. Dropped in the middle without much to help navigate, questions arise. Are we seeing the real Allan or a medicated version of him? How has the medication changed his behavior? Some scenes of a truly manic or depressive episode would be invaluable, particularly for educational uses of the film, as well as being able to relate to Allan’s inner struggles and those of the people around him. As it is, they all seem quite normal, and it is difficult to empathize with Allan’s profound concern that others will view him differently if they know his diagnosis. It’s equally as hard to understand his wife, who comes across as controlling and high strung—is this her true personality, or is she simply tired of dealing with Allan and completely stressed by the break-up of their marriage? It seems like we see the Levi’s through a clouded lens, making an otherwise brilliant view of a family in crisis seem tedious and lessening the impact of the film.

Libraries that support college level social work and health sciences programs would benefit the most from this film, but previewing is recommended.