The new film from writer and director Sammy Anderson, Sue Inside, gives us a personal look into the lowest point of Joe’s life. Not only is he mentally low as the result of a break up with his girlfriend, but also physically. Weighed down by an immovable depression, Joe confines himself to the windowless basement of his house. Joe’s friend, Lane, wants to take a proactive approach in helping, but contrasts in their personalities make this difficult.
Anderson immediately plunges us into the depths of Joe’s mental state. The restrictive and oppressive nature of the basement is an instant reflection of the dark place our protagonist’s mind is trapped within. A broken toaster, squirrels in the walls – his surroundings are definitely contributing to the sense of hopelessness. And yet the depression pins Joe down in this place. Leaving the basement and it’s strange, strangling safety is inconceivable.
The opening sequence is simply excellent. So much information is conveyed without a single word being uttered. We see Joe faking a smile to himself, wondering what it felt like for this movement to be muscle memory rather than a forced exercise. The camera work in the sequence is very inventive, a theme which continues throughout the film without dominating or detracting from the main focus.
As Joe’s friend, Lane (played by Sammy Anderson) enters, Joe’s overwhelming silence becomes even more noticeable against the constant upbeat chit-chat. It very much feels like life is happening around Joe while he exists on a different plane. The isolating loneliness depression causes, even when surrounded by people who care, is clearly portrayed. Amidst his friend’s slightly annoying, but well-meaning yammering, Joe drops the bomb: “I think I’m gonna kill myself.”
The reason, or at least part of the reason, for Joe’s depression is a breakup. His girlfriend of several years, Sue, left him, triggering this downward spiral. Lane tries to jump into action to help get his friend out of this dangerous mindset. When it quickly becomes apparent that leaving the basement is not an option, Lane tries to distract Joe by talking about Avatar: The Last Air Bender, but he need more than distraction. Joe simply feels as though life isn’t worth living. What’s the point?
The film wanders through various philosophical arguments and religious outlooks, as well as discussing pop culture references like The Last Air Bender and The Dark Knight. The discussion between Joe and Lane flows seamlessly, like a real conversation. Anderson as Lane and AJ Newman as Joe portray two very different characters. Lane is upbeat and positive, Joe pessimistic and sceptical. Even though Joe is suffering, Lane is quick to call out some of Joe’s angry rantings, especially when he veers into generalisations about women. Their discussion mainly turns back to finding meaning in this vast universe when we are but tiny specs floating within it.
Of course, there is no easy or clear answer to this. Lane is so worried abut his friend, he actually invites Joe’s ex, Sue (Ajia Munns), over. Perhaps we all knew this wouldn’t be a great move, but when you’re desperately afraid for someone’s well-being, trying anything is better than trying nothing. As it happens, this idea does backfire rather catastrophically.
Sue Inside captures the difficulty of caring about someone who wants to die – trying to help someone who can’t stand to be helped because the pain is too great, and they just want the suffering to end. You cannot tell people what is the reason to live. As Joe’s turmoil comes to a head in the climax of the film, the flow of emotion between Anderson and Newman is stunning. I found myself holding my breath. The film captures something raw and realistic here – it’s difficult to put into words. The performances of the two actors left me feeling like I’d been punched in the chest.
Excellent cinematography from Christopher Sheffield, brilliant performances from AJ Newman, Sammy Anderson and Ajia Munns, brough together by Anderson’s writing and superb direction.