Sometimes I Think About Dying is a story about a woman Fran, who is introverted and often has thoughts of her death. She begins to open up as she meets Robert, the new hire at her job. Daisy Ridley does a great job of playing the role and subtly (and at times not so subtly) displaying her growing anxiety.
I was a fan of this movie, particularly for how it depicts introversion and social anxiety. As someone who is quite introverted, I feel like the media often represents it as a fear of being around others. That is not the case, and with Fran, we can see her partake in social events but struggle to interact. It’s not out of fear, but just not knowing the best way to do it. I saw myself in her, wanting to participate in office chatter but not knowing how to properly get involved.
She develops a charming little relationship with Rob, and Ridley has good chemistry with Dave Merheje, who plays Robert. He is much more outspoken, as he can effortlessly interact with all his new coworkers. What made their relationship stand out was how as an extrovert, he kept trying to crack Fran open and get her to talk about herself. Again, as an introvert, I have been in that situation and more times than not, I want to lash out.
I also got a little happy seeing him become flustered when he wasn’t in control. There’s a scene where he is trying to eat a crab, which the locals can do effortlessly, whereas he struggles. When people fail to read clear signs that someone is uncomfortable yet keeps pushing, it is good to see them be put out of place.
The movie often would flash to Fran dead in new locations, which I interpreted as her anxiety and depression causing her to see her dead when placed in awkward or stressful situations. I thought it was interesting as my mind doesn’t go there when I’m overwhelmed but I know for a fact that it happens to others.
The movie feels like it was extended too much by its runtime. What I mean is there isn’t enough to carry the movie beyond a long, short film. The movie isn’t much of a spectacle, but I did like how a lot of shots were framed and the overall aesthetic.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Sometimes I Think About Dying is a very grounded look into building relationships while introverted. Daisy Ridley is great at elevating a rather mundane story with a true personable approach. I would recommend giving this a watch if all that sounds appealing to you.
