EVERY TIME I DIE
US, 2019, 97 minutes, Colour.
Mark Menchaca, Michelle Macedo, Melissa Macedo, Drew Fonteiro, Tyler Dash Fleming.
Directed by Robi Michael.
Certainly an arresting title. And, in fact, the central character does die several times.
Drew Fonteiro plays Sam, a paramedic who begins an affair with the wife of a military man serving overseas. However, this is not straightforward and, Sam, without knowing how or why, makes transitions to different situations.
On the narrative level, there is a certain straightforwardness, his work with his partner, Jay (Mark Menchaca), and travelling to a holiday house with Jay and his wife, Mia, with whom is having the affair, and her husband Tyler. Strange things happen to him there – and he is videoed saying that he killed his sister.
There are many flashbacks to Sam’s childhood with his sister, with his loving parents, a box of photos of himself and his sister, the memory of her wanting to take a photo of the lake, his pulling of the camera, her falling into the lake, recovered but dying in hospital. Sam has said that he tried to save her. His parents are supportive.
But, it would seem, that he is haunted by this experience, becoming something of a mystery to himself.
And, as regards the deaths, there is something beyond the natural in his experiences, even travelling through a kind of cloud/tunnel with a light at the end and his occupying different bodies, the bodies of his friends. And, each of them dies, Sam dying each time, going through the tunnel, becoming more aware of himself and his relationship with his sister.
While some audiences may find the screenplay rather bewildering, is rather evocative and provocative in the mysteries of Sam, his personality, his strange experiences, his occupying different bodies – and his deaths.
1. The title? Arresting? Sam’s deaths and their consequences? The deaths in various characters?
2. The city settings, Sam’s apartment, meetings? The contrast with the countryside, the house, the woods, the water? Musical score?
3. The plot intrigues and audience reaction? Understanding? The focus on Sam, his relationship with Mia, Tyler coming back from active service, Sam and his first experience of love, his work as a paramedic, driving with Jay, Jay and Poppy? His going to the countryside? Sharing with his friends? This basic plotline?
4. Sam, Mia leaving, his looking in the mirror, the transformation?
5. Sam and his variety of experiences, waking up in different situations, the box of photos with his sister, his wanting to get rid of it, its continually reappearing? Sam and the
encounters with Mia? Her response to her husband’s returning? Secrecy of the relationship?
6. The flashbacks, Sam and his parents, with his sister, their bonding, the teddy bears, the photos, loving the family? The episode on the cliff? His sister with the camera, Sam pulling, her falling and drowning? His response, paralysis? His saying that he tried to save her? The returning to sequences in the hospital, the sister in intensive care, her mother present, the parents’ grief, their trying to help Sam?
7. At the country house, Sam and his experiences, going into the woods, Jay with the camera and Sam confessing to killing his sister? Tyler and his hostility?
8. Sam driving, Tyler following, the struggle, Sam’s death? The vision of the light at the end of the tunnel and its take him back to the past, probing his identity for him?
9. Sam entering into Jay, his communicating with the group, audience response to the appearances of Jay and yet his being Sam? Poppy and her puzzle? Sam trying to explain himself to the others, the hostility towards Tyler? Tyler and his becoming evermore crazed? Pursuing Jay, the room, threatening him with the gun, shooting him, making it look like suicide? The reaction of the women? Sam’s death and the light at the end of the tunnel?
10. Sam entering into Poppy, his interactions with Mia? Tyler, crazy? The gun, Mia getting in the car, driving to the countryside, to the water? Trying to save Mia? Tyler pursuing, Mia in the back of the utility, her foot caught in the rope, the pick and his stabbing Tyler? The crash, the water, Sam entering into Tyler, out of the car, freeing Mia, saving her?
11. Sam in the form of Tyler? And a final death?
12. The plausibility of the plot? The touch of the supernatural? Sam and his experiences, search for identity?
