She Dies Tomorrow (2020)

Director: Amy Seimetz
Stars: Kate Lyn Sheil, Jane Adams, Kentucker Audley
Runtime: 86 minutes

Synopsis: Amy thinks she's dying tomorrow...and it's contagious.

Verdict: What makes us human? Many philosophers dedicated their entire lives to attempt to answer that complex yet fundamentally important question. "I think, therefore I am" famously argued René Descartes in his Discourse on the Method, today considered a pillar in modern philosophy, but it's his compatriot Albert Camus that is quoted in Amy Seimetz's "She Dies Tomorrow" as saying "Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is".

But what is he? In this confusing existential crisis of a film, a fictional version of the promising director suddenly becomes convinced that she will meet her demise the next day. These thoughts seem to be contagious, as anyone who comes in contact with her starts developing similar apocalyptic thoughts. Taken literally, the film doesn't make a whole lot of sense and I can see people being turned off by its unconventional presentation that will leave its audience with many unanswered questions.

However, I was hypnotized not only by the mesmerizing composition featured in some of the film's more intense scenes, but also by what it had to say about human nature (not the Michael Jackson song). Going back to that Camus quote, it portrays people as beings who struggle to accept their own mortality. Whether it happens tomorrow or a long way down the road, death is an eventuality that we all choose to ignore until it comes knocking at our doors. And, according to Seimetz, it's upon hearing that knock that we stop living, and not once we eventually bring ourselves to open the door. In other words, what makes us human is our refusal to acknowledge what we really are: mortals.

The more I reflect on "She Dies Tomorrow", the more I find my experience watching it rewarding. It's worth adding that it's a magnificently crafted movie, filled with great performances and a semi-comedic tone that surprisingly works like a charm. I can't promise that you'll love it, but if these types of movies are your cup of tea, do give it a try.

FINAL GRADE: 8/10