Must Read After My Death

Filmmaker Morgan Dews mines his family history in this strange and often disturbing documentary based on his discovery—following his grandmother Allis' death in 2001—of a hitherto unknown collection of 8mm films, reel-to-reel tape recordings, and numerous diaries she had left behind. Going through the material, Dews learns about a different Allis—a suburban Connecticut wife and mother of four whose life slowly deteriorates into bitterness and unhappiness as her husband, Charley, is increasingly absent for prolonged business travel and her children mature beyond the need for her maternal supervision. At one point, Allis' despair is so deep that she seeks out psychiatric help (Dews also found audiotapes from Charley and the kids, messages that underscore Allis' sadness). The 8mm footage that Dews unearthed, however, offers a telling contradiction: typical home movies that seem like any bland Kodachrome record of suburban life from a half-century ago, albeit masking serious undercurrents. While familial dysfunction is hardly unusual, Dews' clan appears to have endured more than their fair share of neuroses and recriminations. Must Read After My Death offers a powerful and compelling personal study of a fraying family. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)