Tarnation

4.1/5 A joruney through a troubled life has never felt so appropriate for its exposure as a documentary film.

Watching this made me feel like a combination of trusted personal confidante and intrusive stalker, but it is probably one of the best accounts around of living with someone who is traumatised and mentally ill. The story is biographical, and told entirely through photographs and home movies, and is written and narrated by the subject's son. The story is told from his perspective.

Although at times it feels as if Jonathan Caouette is overdoing it all for the camera --- that actually shines an even more intense psychological light on everyone captured in this documentary. It feels exploitive, but that is one of the reasons it all the more devastating.

Because the film is so personal, so fully made with sentiment, Jonathan Caouette's Tarnation comes out as a complex, raw, angry and arresting film about its own director.

Found myself liking this film the more it progressed.

Bits of unbearable information brought to us by Jonathan Caouette, a man who truly has had a horrific lot in life. It results in a deranged drug user who captures all of his grief through home movies and other forms of media to shock the viewer.

Not as good as it's blown up to be, kind of irritating at times.

A surreal and unique documentary that is hard to take your eyes off of.

Anyone who has lived a fantastical, dismal life of clawing your way out of inherited *crazy* will appreciate this magical film.

Tarnation uses various mediums in presenting it's story and is unique and works well.