Tarnation (2003)

Tarnation (2003) is a mesmerizing fusion of documentary, narrative fiction, and home movie, transporting you on an acid trip through the life of filmmaker Jonathan Caouette. This remarkable film paints an epic, intimate portrait of an American family's harrowing journey, stitched together from a kaleidoscope of Super-8 home movies, snapshots, early short films, and answering machine messages spanning a poignant nineteen years of Jonathan's life. The story ignites in 2003 when Jonathan receives the devastating news of his schizophrenic mother, Renee's, overdose on her lithium medication. This event triggers a deep dive into their shared family history—a real, unflinchingly raw narrative of rape, abandonment, promiscuity, drug addiction, child abuse, and psychosis. As we witness his life unfold through the lens of his own camera, we see Jonathan's escape into the fantastical realms of musical theater and B-grade horror flicks, his lifeline amidst the chaos. This cinematic journey also introduces us to Jonathan's queer chosen family, his lifeline in the turbulent sea of his familial history. Fast-forwarding to the future, we find Jonathan grappling with the complex, symbiotic love he harbors for his beautiful yet tragically damaged mother. The film is a psychedelic whirlwind, a vivid collage of '80s pop culture, dramatic reenactments, and stark video diaries that construct a compelling narrative of survival, identity, and the power of familial bonds, no matter how flawed they might be. Tarnation is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, a symphony of past, present, and future, reverberating with the echoes of a life lived on the edge.

Tarnation is a documentary movie featuring Renee Leblanc.

Tarnation is currently streaming on Mubi.