The Most Shattering Documentary of the Year
Vulture • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Ross McElwee’s documentary Remake explores the life and death of his son Adrian, who died of a fentanyl overdose at 27, blending personal grief with broader reflections on time, memory, and cinema.
- The film interweaves footage of Adrian growing up, his struggles with addiction and mental health, and McElwee’s own experiences, including his battle with a brain tumor and revisiting old friends affected by time and illness.
- Remake also references Hollywood’s attempts to remake McElwee’s earlier film Sherman’s March, contrasting Adrian’s modern filmmaking style with his father’s more traditional approach.
- The documentary is a poignant meditation on loss and memory, with McElwee searching for evidence of his son’s existence through home footage while preserving the mystery of Adrian’s life rather than offering clear answers.
- Despite its heavy themes, Remake maintains McElwee’s introspective and questioning style, making it a deeply personal yet universally resonant work about death, grief, and the act of filmmaking itself.
