Here’s a very different documentary that follows the life of director Jonathan Caouette’s mentally ill mother Renee Leblanc as he takes her from one assisted living facility to another over 1000 miles away. Sometimes unnerving and depressing other times heartbreaking and empathetic the film takes you through a myriad of situations on this heartfelt trip. Witness the compassion of this man and woman in Walk Away Renee now on DVD for the first time.
The documentary centers on Jonathan Caouette who at a very young age was given up to a foster home due to his mother’s bi-polar illness. With the absence of his father Jonathan was later allowed to be adopted with the consent of his mother. Later in life when he becomes able, Jonathan takes on the responsibility of getting his mother into mental facilities and then assisted living group homes where she finally lands in Houston, Texas.
Now at the age of 58-years-old with her illness getting out of hand, Jonathan decides to bring her closer to him in an area just north of New York City. The trip will take several days with a U-Haul moving van, but with her on the proper meds it shouldn’t be a problem. When Renee loses her meds a couple days into the trip, things start to get dicey for the two of them.
Walk Away Renee tugs at the heartstrings, challenges the dispensing system for emergency drugs, shows the humility of this unstable disease and provides a sounding board for government committees who need to address the growing problem of elder assistance.
The Documentary has no bonus features except the original trailer used to promote the trailer when it was released in theaters on November 30, 2012. If I could have one wish however, it would be a commentary from doctors who have treated bi-polar disease, the facilities that treat this awful metal problem and scholars who have had success in finding ways to help the victims of the sickness.
The video quality of the movie is actually very good considering the cameras Jonathan Caouette had to use to make the film. He does use many creative special effects to make his film easier on the eyes, adds some very interesting home video and shows a psychedelic scene of his version of how Renee sees the world without meds.
The sound quality also varies, but like most documentaries that have to use old footage, filming under tough conditions without sound men and the almost impossible reclaiming of voices in home video; Walk Away Renee looses no quality to the connotation. In fact in some cases it’s brilliant, especially when Renee sings and dances in some video flashbacks. Where the sound gets difficult to hear however, Jonathan Caouette adds subtitles.
Walk Away Renee has not been rated by the MPAA but does have content that may be inappropriate and disturbing for youngsters.
FINAL ANALYSIS: An interesting and heartfelt eye opener. [rating=4]
Specifications and additional film information:
- Cast: Renee Leblanc, Jonathan Caouette
- Directed by: Jonathan Caouette
- MPAA Rating: Unrated
- Genre: Documentary
- Running Time: 1 hr 28 min
- Street Date: April 30, 2013
- Original Theatrical Release: November 30, 2012
- Language: English
- Format: DVD
- Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Video: Letterbox with Widescreen presentation to preserve the Aspect Ratio
- Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
- Number of Discs: 1 Disc
- Distributed by: IFC Films
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
