Every Brilliant Thing

Never before have I felt an urge to record my immediate afterthoughts on something I've witnessed or experienced. But I'm doing so now, in part, because I know I'm going to want to return to this moment again and again. In his 60-minute one man act, Jonny had me laughing and crying with such rapid alternation that I found myself forgetting which emotion the last line was supposed to elicit. The film's charm, wit, and surprising hilarity make it a pleasure to watch. But it is its masterful ability to gently discuss the dark subjects of depression and suicide without even remotely attempting to prescribe solutions to the viewer that left the strongest impression on me, both in my review of the movie as well as in my emotional investment. Much like its subject matter, Every Brilliant Thing isn't art you figure out. You don't watch hoping to be inspired to take action. You just experience it, rejoicing at its highs, relating to its lows, and not spending too much time thinking about what may be missing that you yourself miss what's right there in front of you. "If you live a long life and get to the end of it without once feeling depressed, you probably haven't been paying attention." I think I have one more item for his list.