Too close
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Too close Posted on Oct 23 2007 at 3:50pm by I found this film fascinating, familiar and discomfiting to watch. Watching the deterioration of Sam--seeing the brutally transparent manic episodes--was heartbreaking. But it was the struggle of the filmmaker to support his friend and at the same time tell his story that truly engaged me. That struggle to maintain affection and provide support while maintaining personal safety (both physical and emotional)is something that I have struggled with in dealing with family members and friends with substance abuse and mental health issues. Ultimately, I empathazied more with Ben than with Sam or his mother. 
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RE: Too close Posted on Oct 25 2007 at 7:23pm by I agree. I thought it very sad and true and hard to watch. I so wanted Sam to get better and have this hollywood ending. The rage towards Mr. Selkow shocked me; and Mr. Selkow seemed almost numb listening to it all. I didn't see it coming.
I felt my own frustration come out witnessing the attempts to help and support Sam and watching Sam deal with taking/not taking the meds; wanting that high. The film helped me to appreciate how friends stop coping, panic, get lost and seem to end up living a a nightmare existence. I too end up feeling less sympathy as it is just so draining to go through.
I have read Dr. Redfield's book and others but seeing it unfold was an experience. I will definitely tell others about it.
I still don't understand it; not really, but the film came I think as close as I will ever know.RE: Too close Posted on Oct 28 2007 at 3:24am by This film made me realize that, back when my adoptive son was experiencing the manic phase of his bipolar disorder, we should have been PUTTING HIM IN THE HOSPITAL! But, we almost had NO knowledge of what to DO, when he became enraged, using foul language, and exhibiting violence (kicking holes in the walls, breaking furniture, trying to destroy the canvas top of our convertible with his feet, etc.). We didn't know until he was 13 that he was bipolar, and NO doctor gave us ANY IDEA of what to do to calm him down. We were BARELY able to get ANY help from a doctor (it was hard to even FIND a pediatric psychiatrist who KNEW what to do - I had to BEG for medication, but it didn't work very well [and he made every effort to NOT take the meds]). I kept thinking he would spend his life in PRISON. His adoptive father was bipolar, also. So am I. But, I take my meds faithfully, so I don't have much trouble anymore. Our son has been in prison, now, for two years. He has one more year to go. They have him on lithium, and it is helping. He now sees he MUST be on meds for the rest of his life, if he wants a "normal" life. This film really GOT to me, because I lived with the tragic results of THREE people having bipolar disorder, all in the same family, and we weren't even related to each other by blood! Finally, I had to get a divorce - it was too much for me. I am hoping my son will be able to control his bipolar disorder when he comes home in a year. If he takes his meds, we should be O.K. I never did understand, from the film, whether Sam STAYED on his meds or NOT - it seemed to me that he did NOT stay on his meds, and that's why he got so much worse. My son also had attachment disorder and fetal alcohol syndrome, so his childhood was just a NIGHTMARE! It's so unfair to be BORN this way - it's NOT the person's fault, when bipolar disorder is inherited. And I believe bipolar disorder IS inherited - my father was bipolar, my son's mother was bipolar, and we suspect that my ex-husband's mother was bipolar. What a difficult life! My son is hoping to become a plumber - I hope he will be able to stick with the training, but so far, he has never held a job more than three weeks. The stress was always too much for him. I love him dearly and pray to God every night to protect him and help him pass all his high school courses he is now taking. I hope he can graduate in May - he will be 21 in June.
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