Running from Crazy

Running from Crazy is a compelling and deeply affecting documentary produced in 2013 that puts focus on the prevalent issue of mental illness, specifically within the iconic Hemingway family. The film is directed by the Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple and features Mariel Hemingway, a granddaughter of the famous American novelist Ernest Hemingway, as the principal subject.

In this powerful documentary, Mariel Hemingway, an actress, and author, bravely opens up about her family’s secret history of suicide, mental illness, and alcoholism. Being born into a family of extraordinary talent and fame, the Hemingway family, unfortunately, also had a pattern of dark issues that lurked beneath the surface. This piece vividly underlines how even the most prestigious and glamorized families can carry burdens of unspeakable hardships.

Kopple skillfully dissects the Hemingway family saga through the perspective of Mariel who has been actively seeking to comprehend and unravel the intricate web of her family's struggles. She does so as not just an observer but also a participant affected by this indisputable trend of mental affliction.

Featured in the film are appearances from other family members such as Stephen Crisman who is Mariel's ex-husband and their daughters together - Dree and Langley Crisman are- to provide supplementary support to the story. There is also considerable emphasis on Mariel's older sisters, Margaux Hemingway, a supermodel and actress who died from a drug overdose, and Joan "Muffet" Hemingway, who spent her life battling mental illness. Jack Hemingway, Mariel’s father, also plays a significant role in the narrative.

Kopple seamlessly intertwines contemporary interviews with Mariel Hemingway and her family with previously unseen archival footage. This includes snippets from Margaux Hemingway’s thinly veiled documentary about the family, “Connected,” which was never released but adds a substantial dimension to this narrative. Through this combination of past and present, Kopple weaves a narrative that is as engaging as it is informative, creating a nuanced portrait of a family grappling with generational mental illness.

Running from Crazy showcases Mariel's pursuit of a healthier, happier life, disconnected from the obsession with tragedy that seems to plague the Hemingways. In a quest to escape what she calls the 'Hemingway curse', Mariel has adopted a lifestyle promoting mental and physical wellness. Her journey towards understanding her family's past and ensuring her own, and her daughters’ futures, does not mirror the same dark path forms the crux of the documentary.

The title of the film, 'Running from Crazy', aptly encapsulates the journey undertaken not only by Mariel Hemingway but by anyone who has ever had to confront mental health issues either personally or within the family. It does not sugarcoat or romanticize the struggles encountered. Instead, it offers a stark, truthful look at the harsh realities of living with, and breaking away from, inherited cycles of mental illness.

The movie speaks to the silent burdens that many families carry, burdens too often bequeathed from one generation to the next. The strength of the movie lies in its ability to be sincere, thought-provoking, evocative, while staying steeped in elements of hope and transformation.

Running from Crazy is not just an exploration of the Hemingway lineage. Simultaneously, it’s also a powerful social comment on the need for widespread discussion and understanding about mental health, suicidal tendencies, and alcoholism. It encourages viewers to confront the seemingly insurmountable challenges and stigmas associated with these issues.

A brilliant balance of biography and societal commentary, it provides an avenue for introspection and invites discourses on the role each of us plays in integrating mental health awareness and empathy within our social fabric. The film successfully delivers a poignant and touching account of one woman's effort to break the pattern of a family's destructive past to ensure a healthier, happier future for herself and her kin.

In conclusion, Running from Crazy is a family portrait, tragic and poignant, yet ultimately uplifting and empowering. It is for cinephiles who appreciate deeply touching personal narratives, laden with underlying societal dilemmas. It caters to all who recognize that in these brave, heartfelt stories of survival and recovery, there is indeed a universal tale of humanity that resonates with us all.