Movie with Abe: Rebirth (Capsule Review)

Rebirth
Directed by James Whitaker
Released August 26, 2011



The tenth anniversary of September 11th marks the perfect time for the release of this documentary, which follows five different people who lost family members and friends on that day, checking in over the successive years since the terrorist attacks. Sticking with its subjects for a number of years turns them into real people with individual stories that still prove just as relatable to anyone who lost someone. Whether it’s a firefighter, a construction work, a widowed spouse, someone who was in the World Trade Center, or a teenager dealing with the loss of a parent, the stories are all moving and well-told with a sincere intimacy and honesty. There are many who will have trouble watching any kind of film dealing with these attacks that still feel recent and painfully relevant, but this nonfiction film treats the subject with delicacy and nothing but the utmost respect, honoring the lives of those who died rather than turning it into a spectacle.