Sundance 2023: ‘Sometimes I Think About Dying’

Somewhere on the dreary Oregon coast, Fran (Daisy Ridley) lives a quiet, mundane life. Most of her days are spent at her cubicle listening to the small talk between her coworkers but never participating. Occasionally, she stops to daydream about dying to pass the time. After work, she goes home, eats some cottage cheese, and continues in her isolation until tomorrow, when she does it all again. It’s not until Robert (Dave Merheje) starts at the company that Fran feels the pull to step outside her comfort zone and make a real connection. 

Adapted from a short film, Sometimes I Think About Dying is more about living than actual death. Initially, we’re given insight into Fran’s mind through Ridley’s stellar performance, beautiful cinematography from Dustin Lane, and incredible music by Dabne Morris. Her thoughts are not of suicide but more like a strange curiosity. Ridley and Merheje’s chemistry is awkward and charming, just like you’d expect. Under director Rachel Lambert, these things work well together for a while. The road to the end becomes tedious as the dialogue becomes more sparse, and the imagery that served so well at the start begins to feel like a tool to hit a specific run time. Without more depth to the story and the characters, the film thins out, leaving its themes incomplete.