Review of 'Sometimes I Think About Dying': A Bored Worker Gets Agitated

In Rachel Lambert's dreamlike indie “Sometimes I Think About Dying,” our heroine's life is silent: visually, sonically and emotionally. Fran (Daisy Ridley), an office worker in an Oregon coastal town, is the silent center of this story. She quietly spends her workday in the drab offices of a local port authority, returns home, microwaves a meal, and eats it alone in her dimly lit kitchen. Her favorite food is cottage cheese.

But inside his mind, vivid, surreal images intrude on his thoughts: his body dangling like a rag doll from the hook of a crane, lying on the floor of a forest covered in insects, twisted among driftwood on a beach. She does exactly what the film's title promises: a kind of mental escape for her soul.

The film begins with a series of slightly strange but everyday images that place us inside the setting: a pile of rotten fruit accumulating in a storm drain, a deer walking down some outside stairs. The film was shot in the small town of Astoria, Oregon, which has its own rich film history (“The Goonies,” “Kindergarten Cop,” many other films) and a distinctive sense of place and culture.

This opening also sets the unique tone that Lambert creates in this strange but moving film. Based on the play “Killers” by Kevin Armento, “Sometimes I Think About Dying” is nothing more than a snapshot of a mental health drama, wrapped in a more traditional love story that provokes reflections on the challenges of connecting with others. .

Lambert juxtaposes images and sound to create this strange mix of clashing emotional tones. The opening sequence is set to a faint, somewhat retro score by Dabney Morris, the titles rendered in a pink cursive font. At work, Fran's stillness contrasts with the mundane chatter of her co-workers. Comedian Megan Stalter (“Hacks”) plays office manager Isobel, and the film weaponizes Stalter’s preternatural ability to spew a steady stream of absurd nonsense into the workplace. Because Ridley's performance is required to be so calm and still, Lambert smartly surrounds her with a solid cast largely made up of comedic actors.

Comedian and “Ramy” actor Dave Merheje plays Robert, a new co-worker who revolutionizes Fran's routine. He is friendly, outgoing and relaxed; He becomes interested in Fran and invites her to see a movie. The two of you begin a sort of get-to-know-you attempt: it's not quite a date, but you're not just friends either. In fact, he begins to appear in her intrusive death fantasies.

Merheje is a somewhat unlikely but absolutely charming romantic lead. Her warmth counteracts Ridley's view of Fran's uncomfortable wariness, and Robert's persistence helps open her up, an uncomfortable but ultimately necessary process.

The chill of the Pacific Northwest permeates every frame of “Sometimes I Think About Dying,” from the setting to the tone, and while it's not a traditionally moving film, there's a sweetness at its gentle center. There's the way Fran and Robert struggle to find connection, and also the way the people around Fran reveal themselves to her. “It's hard to be a person,” sighs Carol (Marcia DeBonis), Fran's retired co-worker. In this simple story crafted with care and skill, there is undeniable depth to such statements.

Katie Walsh is a film critic for the Tribune News Service.