Filmmaker Ross McElwee confronts the profound loss of his son Adrian and the enduring questions that followed in his latest documentary, "Remake." The film intricately weaves together fragments of McElwee's past works, including "Time Indefinite" (1993) and "Photographic Memory" (2011), with new material.
"Remake" is not solely about grief; it examines how loss integrates into the fabric of life. Through the documentary, audiences gain insight into McElwee's personal life, including his marriages, divorce, and a past surgery for a brain tumor. In "Remake," McElwee grapples with how Adrian's narrative, marked by sadness, has become intertwined with his own.
McElwee utilizes footage shot by his son to explore the mysteries Adrian left behind. Among these is a short film Adrian created about attending the Venice Film Festival in 2011 with his father. This piece, described as a small music-video opus, depicts Adrian lining up shots at a bar and enjoying himself. McElwee's voiceover contemplates what viewers are witnessing, questioning whether it represents Adrian's form of self-parody or a reflection of a more glamorous life he aspired to. The film offers no definitive answers, leaving McElwee, and the audience, to live with the ambiguity.