To Whom It May Concern (VI) (2016) User Reviews (6)

A rough life

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 28 March 2021]

Anna, (Dawn Olivieri, Bright) is tired of life and looking to end it all, despite being young, gorgeous and, well, a mess. While planning her own funeral, she meets Sam (Wilmer Valderrama), the boyfriend of her neighbor who has been kicked out. She takes him in and suddenly she feels like life could be worth living. Yet just as he brings joy and comfort to her life, he's also trying to move back in with his girlfriend.

Director Maru Boyer also made the documentary I Trust You to Kill Me, which told the story of Kiefer Sutherland helping a band as they tour Europe. He's since made the TV movies Family Pictures and Tempting Fate.

Olivieri and Valderrama are quite good in this and have some great chemistry. While not the typical film that we watch around here, there's definitely things to enjoy and learn from within this film.

Writer you need to do more research

[Tulip731 · 4/10 · 15 July 2019]

Not believable. I'm not sure the writer or the main character really knows what a person would look like, talk like, feel like, etc. who was planning on "checking out". Bad writing. Didn't believe it (lead character depressed or distressed enough to plan a suicide). It was more of a joke after the first 8 minutes. Mr. writer, I think you need to talk to several people who have actually been clinically depressed, severely distressed, etc.. 7.2 average rating?

Pleasant surprise

[jordan2240 · 8/10 · 6 May 2021]

Came across this in my Prime recommendations, so gave it a shot. Found it to be extremely well-acted, and felt the subject was handled well. Certainly not an expert in depression, but my guess is that many people who are depressed contemplate suicide but also struggle with the decision to do it. Not exactly an action-packed thriller nor an erotic experience, but I found myself pulling for the main characters and hoping all worked out for them. I will say that I found the pool scene a bit of an eye-roller, but I can overlook that for the strength of the rest of the film.

Thoughtful, Ground-Breaking Indie Film

[lavatch · 9/10 · 24 July 2019]

"To Whom It May Concern" is one of the finest films ever produced on gender identity. The writing and directing are superb, and the film is worth watching for the courageous performance of actress Dawn Olivieri in the role of Anna.

The film artists do not rely on shock value to tell their story. Instead, the use of understatement often makes the most powerful points about Anna's lifelong struggle for self-identity. One of the most moving relationships is that of Anna and the sister who knows Anna's secret and her history of desperate attempts to keep her balance. One senses that there were other episodes in the past when Anna contemplated taking her life. Yet, the siblings never talk about the secret; the emotional connection is made through subtext and silence.

A second example of the film's subtlety occurs in the film's opening moments. Anna is depicted waking up in her car, and it is apparent that she has furtively engaged in a one-nighter in a parking lot. The entire film may be back-read in terms of that opening scene: Anna has lived her life in the shadows, as apparent in the pick-up who does not even remember Anna's name. Later, in a delicately nuanced dramatic moment, Anna confesses to Sam that she never experienced a "first love" while growing up. Both Sam and the audience do not yet realize the poignancy of that admission.

Another strength of the film is the relationship that develops between Anna and Sam. There is a fascinating contour to the relationship, as Anna lacks confidence and is full of self-loathing. For his part, Sam genuinely cares for Anna while never fully comprehending the nature of the demons that Anna is battling.

The director discovered inventive camera angles, especially in the voyeuristic scenes occurring in a bathroom where there is a hole in the wall that permits viewing the activities going on the next apartment. Overall, this modest independent film was a sleeper that left an unforgettable impression due to its sensitive treatment of an important topic. It is a story of Anna's journey into the heart of darkness and the character's emergence with a sense of dignity and redemption.

Rescue me even if I am a disaster

[lucastews · 10/10 · 3 March 2020]

Thoroughly believable and sentimental, this is a powerful film about self image, worthiness and the capacity to love someone without questions and without sex between two friends. I can't say enough about the lead actress, Dawn O. She is fierce and vulnerable at the same time, rising to the challenge of every mood and thought of a deserted individual who has lost her identity. Thankfully and cathartically, we live out Anna's moments of reckless and self destructive behavior with a sense of shame and pity as a caring man steps into her life. It's not a moment too soon as Anna has given up on herself but her friend does not. The final few minutes made me literally cry with equal amounts of relief and hopefulness. Well done.

The many roads to redemption

[ricdesan · 10/10 · 16 January 2022]

This film treats and hides such deep insidious personal turmoil under such a blank demeanor that when the breath taking portrayal by Dawn Olivieri lets you glimpse under the surface it jolts you whatever facet she shows.

You never know the whole story but maybe dont want to in any case and the director paces an amazing story of a human pebble cast into the deep ocean of misery no one would guess exists. It is this nuance that draws you in. When good guy Sam ( a guileless WIlmer playing a tossed human pebble,) is shown such a momentary act of kindness the unlikely path it leads them down is inspiring and transformative in such an everyday way that you cant help be caught up in it.

As it plays out it is not hard to see that the awakening of the redeemed saves them both.

It is one of the most unique heartfelt stories of its kind in quite a few years and a must see.