I'm Not Here
By Tara McNamara,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Heavy drama explores alcoholism, possibility of do-overs.

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I'm Not Here
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What's the Story?
In I'M NOT HERE, an alcoholic named Steve (J.K. Simmons) grapples with his past as he considers ending his life. As he remembers all of the events that have shaped his life, he realizes the generational pain that was passed on to him -- and that his own hope lies in forgiveness.
Is It Any Good?
This drama may end up having a long shelf life in high school classrooms as the definitive movie that explains Schrödinger's Cat, a quantum mechanics thought experiment embraced by pop culture. I'm Not Here isn't fun to watch, but it sure is fun to discuss, and it will likely put Google and science teachers to work answering questions from curious students trying to understand quantum entanglement and whether it can be applied to our human lives.
Small clues are dropped throughout the movie like random bread crumbs, making it hard to miss a moment -- and it's crucial to keep watching through the credits to the very final frame. Simmons rolls out a wowzer of a performance without uttering a line, but he's just one member of an impressive cast that boasts familiar faces in even the smallest of roles. Don't blink, or you'll miss Lost's Harold Perrineau as a bartender or David Koechner as a divorce lawyer. The film isn't great, but that seems to be the status quo for films that explore different life outcomes. Still, just like The Butterfly Effect or Sliding Doors, it may well become a reference point that holds on through the decades.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the hypothetical Schrödinger's Cat experiment. What do you think about it? Why do you think people enjoy exploring the idea of the cat being both alive and dead?
I'm Not Here addresses the hereditary nature of alcoholism. Do you think kids are influenced by the way the media portrays drinking? Do you think it's usually shown as a positive or a negative experience?
How do you think I'm Not Here ended? Who's really dead, and who's really alive? What do you think happened when middle-aged and old Steve saw each other? Is there any application to real life?
Parents, talk to your kids about suicide. What makes some people think that it's their only option? Where can people in despair turn for help?
The film is a family affair: Michelle Schumacher produces, writes, and directs, her husband (Simmons) stars, and their musician son, Joe, is the sound designer. If you and your family made a movie, what would it be about? What job would each of you take?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 8, 2019
- On DVD or streaming: May 7, 2019
- Cast: J.K. Simmons, Sebastian Stan, Mandy Moore
- Director: Michelle Schumacher
- Studio: Rubber Tree Productions
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Science and Nature
- Run time: 81 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: April 5, 2023
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