R | 1h 55m | Drama | 2024
As an independent filmmaker, I understand the demanding world of indie cinema. It requires unwavering commitment to one’s vision despite countless challenges: competing with established studios, navigating industry barriers, and often facing personal hardships along the way. For filmmakers like Nadine Crocker, these struggles are not just part of the journey; they become the very core of their work.
Crocker’s powerful film “Continue” is an emotionally charged and deeply personal narrative, inspired by her own experiences with depression and suicide. In addition to being a filmmaker, Crocker is an actress and mental health advocate; she uses her platform to shed light on issues that too often remain in the shadows. This gives her film a raw authenticity that resonates deeply with viewers, particularly those who have been impacted by the issues it addresses.
A Bleak Prospect
The film opens with a jarring introduction to Nadine Crocker’s character Dean, whose life is spiraling out of control. In a destroyed apartment, we witness her in the throes of self-destruction, captured through chaotic shots and disorienting jump cuts. Dean alternates between fits of laughter and uncontrollable sobbing, drinking brown liquor straight from the bottle, smoking drugs, and lashing out at her surroundings, smashing anything within reach, including mirrors.In a particularly harrowing sequence, Dean makes frantic, intoxicated phone calls. She screams incoherently at those on the other end, her desperation and unraveling psyche painfully evident. The intensity of the scene crescendos when she downs an entire bottle of pills and grabs a shard of broken glass to attempt ending her life by slashing her wrists.
As Dean lies on the bathroom floor, life ebbing away, her ex-boyfriend Jackson (Anthony Caravella) arrives just in time. Shocked and panicked, he immediately calls emergency services.
Recovery
After her near-fatal suicide attempt, Dean finds herself involuntarily committed to a mental health facility. Initially closed off, she withdraws from the world around her, isolating herself in the early days of her recovery. Reluctantly, Dean connects with Bria (Lio Tipton), a spunky recovering drug addict, and a few others in the facility. She slowly begins to let her guard down. These tentative social interactions, paired with intense therapy, allow her to start healing.As Dean recovers enough to be released, she faces the daunting challenge of reintegrating into society. It’s akin to watching a wounded bird learn to fly again—fragile, tentative, and full of uncertainty. The transition proves stressful, and, at first, her future looks uncertain.
The Tough Journey but Worthwhile
The film’s narrative explores themes of survival and renewal. Crocker’s insightful storytelling turns what could have been a bleak tale into an uplifting journey of hope and recovery.
The filmmaker’s work illustrates how personal stories, conveyed through the lens of filmmaking, can transcend individual struggles and impact a much wider audience. Her bravery in sharing her own experiences fosters a sense of connection and sparks essential conversations about mental health.
Thought-Provoking Alternatives
The film’s ending is pretty mind-bending and completely unexpected (spoiler alert). “I’m just so … in love … with life,” Dean tells her therapist during an after-recovery visit, adding that she’s “really grateful to be alive.” Instead of regret, she acknowledges that her healing process may not have begun had she not hit rock bottom.
However, the film also presents a disturbing alternate outcome, revealing the profound impact her suicide could have had on those in her life if circumstances had shifted. This harrowing prospect, while unsettling, ultimately leads to a hopeful and inspirational ending that lingers well beyond the ending credits.
Though some of the film’s moments are challenging to endure, the emotional journey makes it well worth the experience. This is truly brave filmmaking.
