I Am I (2013)

I Am I Poster

I AM I is the story of a young woman, Rachael, who meets the father she never knew, Gene, at her mother's funeral. She discovers that her father is completely delusional and believes her to be her dead mother. After Rachael visits Gene in an assisted living home, she learns that he suffers from a disease called Korsakov's Syndrome, a form of retrograde amnesia and that her mother had placed him in this facility for treatment a year earlier. He does not remember anything past the age of thirty-three, and believes that he is still a young man. Unable to convince him of who she really is, Rachael decides to go along with her father's delusions by pretending to be her mother and discovers that under this guise, she and Gene can have "normal" conversations. Before long, Rachael is visiting Gene everyday, finding new ways to bring elements from his past into their present relationship.

Introductory Summary
"I Am I" is a thought-provoking drama film launched in 2013, written and directed by the young and gifted Jocelyn Towne. The motion picture represents styles like amnesia, father-daughter relationships, self-questioning, and self-discovery.

Main Plot
The film focuses on Rachael, a girl who fulfills her separated father, Gene, at her mother's funeral service. Gene is fighting mental health problems and lives in a state of confusion, experiencing an uncommon form of retrograde amnesia. As an outcome, he consistently thinks that he is still in his thirties and has no recollection of the present exterior world or his present life.

Rachael is at first filled with conflicting emotions upon fulfilling her father. As she yearns for a real father-daughter connection, she exploits Gene's confusion and starts role-playing her departed mom. It's through this odd, yet intimate interaction that Rachael begins to acquire insights about her parents' relationship and her father's previous behaviors.

Characters
Rachael, the protagonist, is a conflicted character, battling her own concerns of overlook and abandonment, due to the absence of her dad throughout youth. The function was played with remarkable conviction by Jocelyn Towne herself. Simon Helberg plays Seth, Rachael's partner, who attempts to comprehend and support her during her emotional chaos.

Gene, played by Kevin Tighe, becomes a terrible figure stuck in his past and not able to welcome his present. His interactions with Rachael through the movie showcase the confusion, disappointment, and failure to understand his environments.

Themes and Symbolism
Among the major themes presented in the film is the exploration of memory, transience, and the effects of time on relationships. The film analyzes how we interpret the past and how this can dramatically alter our present.

"I Am I" addresses the delicate subject of psychological health and its ramifications not only on the patient but likewise on the people around. The misery and vulnerability related to memory loss are portrayed through the character of Gene.

Critical analysis and Conclusion
"I Am I" strolls a fine line between being deeply poignant and discreetly humorous, providing a practically surreal lens into the complexities of human relationships. Making use of role-playing by Rachael to connect with her father offers an original narrative technique, used to unravel styles around identity, memory, and connection.

While the story is heartrending, it does wander into a heavenly realm with its method to amnesia and the intricacies associated with it. The movie keeps a delicate, albeit rather impractical portrait of its characters. Some viewers have actually criticized the role-playing aspect as manipulation, although others view it as an exploration of Rachael's desperate attempt to fill deep space of a missing out on dad.

Despite some criticisms, Towne's launching provides a genuine exploration of identity, loss, and reconciliation, supported by strong performances from the cast. Overall, "I Am I" is a distinct, sincere film that provokes a much deeper reflection on familial relationships and mental health.

Top Cast

  • Simon Helberg (small)
    Simon Helberg
    Seth
  • Jason Ritter (small)
    Jason Ritter
    Jonathan
  • Jocelyn Towne (small)
    Jocelyn Towne
    Rachel
  • Kevin Tighe (small)
    Kevin Tighe
    Gene
  • Angela Paton (small)
    Angela Paton
    Doris
  • Ramon De Ocampo (small)
    Ramon De Ocampo
    Adrian
  • Josh Clark (small)
    Josh Clark
    Michael Singer
  • Dawn Didawick
    Sharon
  • Anne Gee Byrd (small)
    Anne Gee Byrd
    Pam
  • John Apicella
    Dr. Cooper