Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Marketic It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

UnowPriceless hyped garbage

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

miriamday-35605 'Stories We Tell' is Sarah Polley's beautiful evocation of the mother she lost as a child, told through the (sometimes contradictory) testimony of those who loved her. It is nonsensical to talk about 'a feminine aesthetic', what with us being half the human race and all. But this tender, subtle and generous film could only have been made by a woman - which is why it is such a pity that around 90% of the stories 'we' tell on film - and the mirror they offer of the world - are still made by men.

jasonlock-11608 I think the marketing blurb had hyped me up to expect something this wasn't. I'd read of bold playing with form and reality, the nature and recall of memory etc... I enjoyed Away From Her very much too, so was hoping for something unusual here. I can't agree with the other reviews here.I didn't find it particularly courageous or bold in its form, or content matter. Some scenes are recreated, it's as clear as day, not formally bold, and I'm perplexed by the reactions. I didn't come away feeling I'd learned much about the human condition, it was more like going to a friend's house, only, a friend I'd only just met and had no connection with, and having her life story relayed to me. There's nothing shocking in the family timeline, which is fine, but there was no great emotional question I could relate to and wanted answered either. It feels more self-indulgent than the personal insight I was expecting. Not a particularly fascinating life or universal family story. Just one girl's pretty-average story. Not to take away from what the Director feels or demean her life experience, but honestly, it felt precious and narcissistic. I find some aspects of my family history equally as interesting but I know no-one would want to see a film about it.

Zev This is a documentary that tries to explore larger issues of humanity by exploring the various secrets, stories and viewpoints buzzing around Sarah's dead mother, including her personality, her relationship with her husband, as well as her possible infidelity, the last of which has an obvious consequence on Sarah. Sarah makes everyone share their version of 'the story' of her mother, and splices it all together while investigating and 'interrogating', to see what truth, if any, emerges. At least, that's the theory.The plot summary has this to say: "Stories We Tell explores the elusive nature of truth and memory, but at its core is a deeply personal film about how our narratives shape and define us as individuals and families, all interconnecting to paint a profound, funny and poignant picture of the larger human story." But don't be fooled. The only thing correct about that summary is that it is 'deeply personal'. And it should have stayed deeply personal.The "elusive nature of truth" and the different versions of "the story" is just simple gossip. No amount of film-school hyperbole or fancy talk can alter that fact. When a key person in the story states towards the end that only the key people should be allowed to tell the story because only they know the full truth, he is partially correct. He is incorrect, because it's obvious that even he doesn't know the full truth and is delusional. But he is also correct in that everyone else is just passing on useless gossip that only provides a disservice to the truth and to her mother.But this documentary purportedly demonstrates how people interpret the truth according to their personal viewpoints and needs. I suppose that is true in this one deluded case, but with everyone else, the only thing that we 'learn' is that they enjoy gossip and are exhibitionists.As far as the alleged thoughtful commentary is concerned, I'll never forget this outrageous quote from the movie: "She had the strength and ability to keep all of her loyalties." Somehow, loyalty now means lying to your husband.Painfully personal introspections are exhibited, private bedroom details are shared as if they were an anthropology experiment, and juicy rumors and gossip are thrown around even concerning a dead person. All throughout the movie I kept wondering what is wrong with these people. Despite the attempt at sophistication and the lack of scenes of people yelling at each other, watching this felt the same to me as watching Jerry Springer. Dressing it up with pretentious attempts at sophistication and self-obsessed introspection does not change the fact that they are just making a big fuss over whether she cheated or not, and who with.So, the larger issues of humanity boils down to gossip and infidelity. Therefore I didn't find anything interesting here, since I am not a voyeur. This is just dirty laundry. Please do not flaunt it. Even if it were really "profound, funny and poignant" then it would be questionable, but it isn't.I even found the 'surprises' in the movie very unsurprising, because it all boils down to character. And the character was obvious to me in the first ten minutes.Imagine if only one of the key people refused to participate in this movie based on the fact that it was private. The movie would have been impossible to make because the only thing left would have been gossip. The fact that they didn't refuse to participate says more to me about humanity than the stories they told. Unfortunately.

jmeskdale This is the first time in a very long time I have seen a documentary that actually fits the definition: "using pictures or interviews with people involved in real events to provide a factual report on a particular subject". It feels good to enter the word "documentary" in the search box and not end up watching some transparent propaganda, investigative journalism dribble or twisted portrayal of the facts. Step aside BBC Panorama, Louis Theroux and Michael Moore. And thank you Sarah Polley for simply being interested in the truth. I cannot help think it would not have been half as good had most of the protagonists not been from the world of acting and writing, as they would not have been so eloquent and interesting in the way they relayed their memories. But Sarah Polley clearly used that to her advantage by opting for this interview based and script-reading format.