There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane (2011)

Very well executed

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Exploitative and pointlessThis movie is about a tragedy, a tragedy with NO answers, except selfish, disgusting behavior. That makes this movie pointless and exploitative to the family members left behind. Not surprisingly, the parents of the victims didn't't want to have anything to do with the filmmakers! They chose NOT to relive the worst days of their lives, for NOTHING!Diane's family uses these few hours to justify away her crimes. When medical evidence doesn't support their justifications, they come up with new ones. Someone needs to do an intervention on these people. Sometimes drugs and alcohol makes people do horrible things- deal with it! I also find this documentary exploitative to the first responders. This horrific scene profoundly affected those who helped immediately in the aftermath, both professional, and good samaritan alike. I think making good people relive this tragedy for nothing is disgusting. I love documentaries, but this is just TERRIBLE! I can't say more without including spoilers, but trust me, don't ruin your day for nothing.

This is a quite simple tale that deeply and indirectly delves into how humans are prone to denial when in the face of staggering pain. Diane was a woman who rode her car against the traffic tide, hitting an oncoming car, killing herself, all the passengers in the met vehicle and a slew of her children. As the father struggles with the deaths, the news of Diane's intoxication are released: alcohol and THC. The documentary starts just half a year after the deaths occurred. To me, what "really happened" isn't the interesting stuff, but the denial is; seeing all of the people talk is the thing. It's the journey, not the goal, whatever that would be. Interesting but not well edited; could have been better if the reins were held tighter.

Well done film, but as others have mentioned, the Schuler family is less than forthcoming. The answer to why is fairly obvious...She developed severe pain from an abscessed tooth. I have had that and know how extremely painful that can be. It can look a a lot like your head hurts as the pain shoots thru your skull. She took whatever she had in the car in an attempt to ease the pain. She stopped at the gas station to try and find some pain killers but could not find any. Then she decided to use some pot she probably had kept in her purse in a further attempt to ease the pain. She probably felt she was responsible for the kids and didn't want to stop somewhere and hoped to just ride it out till she got home. But the pain and the vodka and the pot all mixed together and she became delusional and incoherent.Her husband probably feels if he admits to anything he will be open to lawsuits. It's obvious he has deep seated anger towards her but can't display it so he buries it deep inside, that will erupt one day.

Unfortunately this documentary hadn't yet been listed on IMDb when I caught it a couple months ago on HBO. I would have taken notes to bolster this review. Even without them, I am still left in awe of what was created here.The filmmakers start with an appalling news event and turn it into a work of art that is rich in both cinematic appeal and psychological interest.I am still haunted by the images, apparently taken by plane or glider, of the infamous short stretch of suburban highway on which a seriously impaired mother managed to drive the wrong way, killing herself and five of the six children in her car. These overhead shots create a sense of foreboding and dread over a tree-filled landscape that ordinarily would seem idyllically bucolic.The filmmakers do an excellent job trying to piece together what might have gone wrong, providing lots of background on the normally high-achieving woman behind the wheel, the husband she left behind who wants to remember well of her, and others such as an aunt who dotes on the one child who survived the crash with neurological and other injuries.The film includes some shocking footage of the death scene so be forewarned. In addition, the derivation of the title is never explained. Did one of the nieces in the backseat call for help from a cell phone? This is a superbly crafted real-life horror story.