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.
18 Reviews
Poignant Doc Featuring a Repulsive Father
MeadtheMan29 December 2021
It's a heavy account of how one death can lead to a domino of fractures within a family, and how they try to come to terms with it. It can serve as a reference for those living in a society in which people hesitate to confront and express their emotions.
All good.. but oh boy, their father, Andreas, is a classic case of a narcissistic, patriarchal SWM. It's like a masterclass of how to turn everything into being about himself. From the get-go, he condescendingly categorizes which of his children ressembles which parent (no surprise which he thinks is superior). Then, he threw a fit at a restaurant about insignificant things (hence drawing attention to himself). Shortly after that, he claimed that according to a doctor in Germany, his son wouldn't have killed himself had he been placed under their care there, then attempted to clarify that he didn't believe it'd make a difference (ok, then why stirred the already messed up pot like that?). He also asserted that he's not trying to blame anyone, but kind of subtly hinted that his daughter should've looked around the house when his brother was't found in the house. When his other son was being emotionally vulnerable with a stranger, he said: "Brilliant, I wouldn't have done that" (the majestic "I" is peppered throughout everything that he said, and you don't really feel like it's a complement, more like an unsolicited judgment). And even after all these, he demanded that his children show him respect.
All good.. but oh boy, their father, Andreas, is a classic case of a narcissistic, patriarchal SWM. It's like a masterclass of how to turn everything into being about himself. From the get-go, he condescendingly categorizes which of his children ressembles which parent (no surprise which he thinks is superior). Then, he threw a fit at a restaurant about insignificant things (hence drawing attention to himself). Shortly after that, he claimed that according to a doctor in Germany, his son wouldn't have killed himself had he been placed under their care there, then attempted to clarify that he didn't believe it'd make a difference (ok, then why stirred the already messed up pot like that?). He also asserted that he's not trying to blame anyone, but kind of subtly hinted that his daughter should've looked around the house when his brother was't found in the house. When his other son was being emotionally vulnerable with a stranger, he said: "Brilliant, I wouldn't have done that" (the majestic "I" is peppered throughout everything that he said, and you don't really feel like it's a complement, more like an unsolicited judgment). And even after all these, he demanded that his children show him respect.
"I can barely say his name..."
Lepidopterous_16 September 2019
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.
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.
A bittersweet wonder of a film
hvonpaulus22 May 2019
This one will stay with you.
lisainstyle23 October 2019
If you love documentaries then this is a must.
The honesty of the family members feelings and the family footage is incredible. I applaud the director. He lets us into his family and heart and it is a privilege.
Timely in this day and age.
Absolutely worth watching.
Sorry for your loss
yan_beadle12 September 2019
Heartbreakingly beautiful
loribroschat21 September 2019
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.
For the grieving
almanac-3917826 May 2019
The film tells the story of the director's younger brother, who suffered from schizophrenia and committed suicide years earlier. It follows his family as they, after years of not talking about it, resolve to open up and let their dead loved one back into their lives. They do this while camping and hiking through various beautiful parts of the British countryside.
There's a lot here most people will be able to identify with. How we refuse to talk about difficult subjects, when really talking's what we need most. How difficult death and grief are to deal with. And also how blame and guilt can linger after a person's suicide, however unwarranted those emotions may be.
I found some of the film difficult to watch, purely because it's such a real, personal story. And also because the family in question is so genuinely lovely that I just didn't want to see them in pain. But ultimately the film is heart-warming as well as sad. I would recommend watching it to anyone who's struggling to cope with the suicide of someone they love.
There's a lot here most people will be able to identify with. How we refuse to talk about difficult subjects, when really talking's what we need most. How difficult death and grief are to deal with. And also how blame and guilt can linger after a person's suicide, however unwarranted those emotions may be.
I found some of the film difficult to watch, purely because it's such a real, personal story. And also because the family in question is so genuinely lovely that I just didn't want to see them in pain. But ultimately the film is heart-warming as well as sad. I would recommend watching it to anyone who's struggling to cope with the suicide of someone they love.
A Perfect 10
debejere12 September 2019
This show for families in agony of death is a PERFECT 10. I am not even reading the other reviews in fear one could upset me. I usually feel that hard stabbing critics usually don't have pumping hearts anyway. They are usually robot hearts, made of steel. Without feelings. Or "way out there" and can't relate to normal humans. The love, fear, pits in stomachs, don't talk about it, it won't exist, just saying the name is so real. There were so many aspects of this film, anyone in death crisis can relate to. I truly thank you from the top, the middle and bottom of my broken heart for this film. It sure helped me.
Broken family...
The_Boxing_Cat1 October 2019
Meeting up with all those people during the walk seemed totally planned- staged even. Orlando: don't insult the audience like this ever again, they won't forget it!
Gwen seems to want everything to be about her, even when her poor dad said that Evelyn was the best at speaking German, she had to inject herself as being better...very telling.
God bless Leon...wonder if they ever hugged Evelyn the way they hugged Leon in this film?
Perhaps this broken family may shed some light on what not to do when you have a family member in crisis. I'm certainly not saying that they are to blame, but there's a lesson here...swallow your fear and get your brother in off that limb.
Gwen seems to want everything to be about her, even when her poor dad said that Evelyn was the best at speaking German, she had to inject herself as being better...very telling.
God bless Leon...wonder if they ever hugged Evelyn the way they hugged Leon in this film?
Perhaps this broken family may shed some light on what not to do when you have a family member in crisis. I'm certainly not saying that they are to blame, but there's a lesson here...swallow your fear and get your brother in off that limb.
Indescribable
judithjabore-4991911 October 2019
can't believe the negative reviews
mfivejude-118 September 2019
The love and support the siblings and friend exhibited for each other during such raw emotion was powerful and touching.the stiff upper lip culture of the british finally 13 years later was sensitive and touching. for the bereaved to stand fast and embrace the sobbing,raw pain of grief was heartbreaking.of course the director chose the only means he was comfortable with to share his story,was by using film,to hide behind his role,which in the end was not the way he possibly intended.i'm sure the process was real and even if it was 13 years laterit was timely.I'm glad they had this experience together to finally go through their own stages of grief
Unforgettable
wenrobbo21 September 2019
Great journey to memorialize a loved one.
ritatrip19 September 2019
I think this was very well done. A loss of this type can destroy a family and if allowed will cause distance. All of these family members taking the time to take this journey together shows a strong, close and loving bond. I also think the negative and hurtful comments would be best unsaid.
Annoying
u-emoli12 September 2019
Portrait of a typical uptight, unable-to-love British family rather than the story and the grief for the suicidal brother. The relationship between them is so uptight it is difficult, tiring and annoying to watch. They all know that, for some reason they are unable to love and they hide this behind the 'grief' of the deceased brother. I kind of understand the father leaving them all as he sounds like the only humane member of the family.
A beautiful journey made by a lovely family...
utopianlass12 September 2019
The father is a joke.
sue-millman-372-37358829 January 2024
A beautiful intelligent family honouring their brother and tentatively exploring the possibility of opening up to their immense grief. The father threw the siblings off course - what a vain, self justifying and simply awful man he is.
Their mother's agony and the will to continue to live for her children with crippling grief was incredibly touching to watch. Thank you for making an undoubtedly emotional exhausting film to share how critical it is to start anywhere with talking about grief. The love between the siblings and their mum was heartwarming- what an incredible woman she is to have held them tightly through their pain. How loved Evelyn was and still is.
Their mother's agony and the will to continue to live for her children with crippling grief was incredibly touching to watch. Thank you for making an undoubtedly emotional exhausting film to share how critical it is to start anywhere with talking about grief. The love between the siblings and their mum was heartwarming- what an incredible woman she is to have held them tightly through their pain. How loved Evelyn was and still is.
Boring
maroru757719 November 2020
It was boring. I thought i was going to watch a documentary about the person who committed suicide. Instead ,it is about a family who goes for a walk ,hiking and they kind of air their grievances. It is a family film and it should had stayed that way.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
