Anne at 13,000 FT (2021)
Close to halfway into Anne at 13,000 Ft, an infuriated co-worker exclaims to the protagonist, “What is wrong with you?” I imagine a lot of viewers of this film want an answer to this inquiry. Or perhaps stronger context or more information on the character’s history. The puzzle pieces should fit in a way that’s satisfying to a narrative but that’s not often how real life plays out. What if instability just happens, randomly, haphazardly? In a way, we are all detectives while watching a story unfold, wanting to solve the case of a character’s behavior - to pigeonhole it into a neat diagnosis or a simple reason as to why someone might be acting out. In fact, some might even fault the storyteller for not giving us more or labeling this an assault or “misery porn,” or quite simply, an endurance test of viewing such unengaging, impenetrable behavior that isn’t worth the time and effort.
If that’s the response some have had, I can understand the lack of connection or sensitivity to what’s taking place here, but it’s the polar opposite to my experience of watching the year’s best film so far. The titular character Anne clearly has issues - psychological, behavioral, familial - but the film isn’t big on specifics or logic. It exists in the heart and mind in such a vulnerable, intimate fashion that makes the experience quite challenging to watch, only because the camera doesn’t even allow us to breathe at times. We focus intensely on Anne (played by the remarkable Deragh Campbell), who works at a day-care center and seems to have recently moved to a new apartment.
She is childlike and often unfocused, but, at 27, she is eager to be in the world. There are early signs of trouble, including a co-worker, an older woman who appropriately reminds Anne that she needs to keep an eye on the young children they care for. Sometimes she seems really great at her job, other times it’s clear that she’s lost in her own head and not realizing the ages of those she is surrounded by. (In a way I was often reminded of the way Michelle Williams’ character acts in Take This Waltz - childlike and awkward for reasons that aren’t always clear or pleasant to be around).
Anne’s mother (Lauren Denkers) reluctantly indulges her, as does a potential partner (Matt Johnson), one of the many moths drawn to the light of her peculiar eccentricities. It seems like all of these guys want to comprehend her, though it’s just too hard for a movie that flows so well and succinctly at 75 minutes. The wait extends to the restless camera, which moves around in an excited fashion, as if to reflect Anne’s unsteady mind. Everything else often remains out of focus, underscoring a sense of isolation. It’s understandable that those who want steady camera framing will be unnerved and annoyed, but it is necessary here to tell the story.
Our lead character is also struggling to stay balanced and feels overwhelmed so the cinematography most certainly adapts to her fragile state of mind. Anne has a genuine desire for courageous experiences like skydiving but she can’t really handle too much stimulation and it renders her unable to function. It’s clear something happened to her in the past but also, she experiences some kind of high while skydiving that can’t be replicated or sustained while at work. It’s as if her dopamine receptors have been rewired or possibly damaged.
Deragh Campbell’s work here is akin to one of my favorite performances of all time, Jeff Bridges in Peter Weir’s masterpiece Fearless. Both characters deal with trauma strikingly but the films couldn’t be more different in execution. We know precisely why Bridges is struggling in Fearless. Here, Anne’s ambiguity is why the film, which appears so simple, is also fiercely compelling. We’re never quite sure what she’s going to do, and everything seems a possibility. Does it stem from neurodivergence? We’ll never know just like we may never know why some people are yelling to themselves on the subway.
As someone who struggles with stability and social cues, I’m not sure if I’ve seen a film more recently that sometimes reflects my own experience interacting with others. Though granted, I’m not aggressive or difficult. I just encounter a random disconnect with the everyday world sometimes that feels very palpable here. More pointedly, I’ve been around someone who externalizes their anxiety in a way that could very well stem from some form of mania. People act very strangely when their brain can’t make sense of the world around them but that doesn’t make them “bad.” There’s even a scene here when Anne tries to jump out of a car and of course, I was far more on the side of the person trying to help her in that moment.
Again, this film chooses not to put a label or not or includes scenes with a therapist that try to make sense of Anne’s madness which makes this akin to a documentary at times. It is uncertain whether Anne finds a sense of peace and wholeness. That twisted need to defy norms is likely off-putting to many and it could be a sign of illness that needs to be treated or managed better. We witness peers trying to understand what she’s going through but I don’t think Anne even understands it which causes an ultimate nervous breakdown scene that had me bawling.
Perhaps skydiving correlates with the freefall of Anne's inner life. But there’s a sense of control and expectation with what she’s doing whether aided by a guide or being trained over time. I guess one might be more concerned about the possibility of a parachute not opening but Anne seems, well, fearless up in the air. If it’s a criticism of the film that the story doesn’t provide something clearer or the central metaphor is hackneyed or obvious, I simply cannot abide by that. There is an awareness that Anne feels alive among the clouds because she knows what to expect up there and likely feels that endorphin rush differently than others might. Her dopamine receptors may even need fine tuning. But on the ground, there is less certainty.
It’s similar to how I experience film or music - I know the running time, the structure, the empathic response. But interacting with the outside world is often challenging and unpredictable. Anne at 13,000 Ft is one of the better films about the challenges that come with unstable mental health that I’ve seen in quite some time and I already can’t get it out of my mind. Much like that film, this won’t be everybody’s idea of a great time at the movies, but honestly, these are the kind of movies that make me feel grateful for the art form.
