There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane (2011) Reviews

• Will Make You Both Angry and Sad

  Michael_Elliott2013-05-26

  There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane (2011) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Another hard-hitting documentary from HBO takes a look at the tragic case of Diane Shuler, the woman who drove the wrong way down a NY highway and eventually killed herself, her daughter, three nieces as well as three men in the other vehicle. Her family, and especially her widowed husband, believes that the toxicology reports saying she was drunk were incorrect so he tries to use this documentary to clear her name, which doesn't happen. Watching this film you can't help but get angry and sad. Sad because so many innocent lives were lost in what appears to be a drunk driving case at best and at worse perhaps some sort of suicide on the part of Diane. There are several theories given about what happened and it's clear that her husband wants to clear her name but it really does seem as if he's just trying to come up with anything to get over his grief. One really can't blame him for how he feels but at the same time I grew angry at him for coming up with anything to clear his wife. This includes saying the toxicology reports were wrong and he even wants to question a third report that pretty much confirms she was drunk. The film works pretty well as a mystery as one starts to think that something "other" happened to Diane but to me it was pretty obvious she was drunk no matter what else she was feeling. The documentary also interviews the three male victim's families and it's rather heartbreaking to hear them say they were preparing a meal when the three didn't make it home for it. THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH AUNT DIANE isn't a very easy film to watch but it certainly makes you appreciate time with her family because you simply never know when something like this could happen.

• Sometimes there is no satisfactory explanation

  mr_deadly2012-01-27

  This documentary is about a tragic accident, and the quest to find a satisfactory explanation for that accident. What it reveals is the remarkable human capacity for self-deception and denial, especially when confronted with a reality that is too painful to accept. The Aunt Diane of the title, perhaps due to the pain of an abscessed tooth, uncharacteristically consumed a significant amount of alcohol and pot, leading to a horrendous accident that killed eight people, including herself. The documentary is about the difficulty her husband and sister-in-law have in accepting this reality. An otherwise nice and responsible person, possibly suffering intense pain, impulsively and uncharacteristically made a really stupid decision to self-medicate, and the result was multiple deaths. It really isn't fair, and I can understand why it is difficult for her family to accept. How can one dumb decision destroy so many lives? It is intensely frustrating and unsatisfying, but sometimes that's reality. Diane's family reminds me of people who refuse to believe that JFK could be gunned down by one random guy named Oswald, or those who refuse to believe that 19 hijackers could use some box-openers and turn the world upside-down on 9/11. The causation is inadequate to the effect emotionally--it feels lopsided. So people often start to look for conspiracies and 'deeper' explanations, rather than accepting the simple, savage truth: sometimes small decisions can result in wildly disproportionate and tragic consequences.

• An Intriguing and Inconclusive Documentary

  Moviegoer192011-09-11

  I eagerly watched "Aunt Diane" because the story has troubled and fascinated me since it happened. As a psychotherapist (LCSW) and writer, I am often attracted to psychological events that are in some way out of the ordinary and involve something highly unexpected. In this case, besides the obvious emotional magnets, the hook is the seemingly straight-laced Super Mom who drives like a demon under the influence of not only alcohol, but pot too, and as a result, kills eight people, including herself. Really tragic, and begging for an explanation. Unfortunately, this documentary doesn't provide it, though it does give some good hints and clues. Watching this film confirmed what I have thought all along: the real criminal in this picture is not the female D. Schuler; rather, it's the male: Daniel. My theory prior to watching this was that Diane left the campground that morning angry. Was she consciously angry that Daniel got to drive off alone,(er,with the family dog) while she got to take the five kids for breakfast and then take the three girls home to her brother and sister-in-law's house? Maybe not, but then, as the documentary shines light on, Diane was bursting with a lot of unrealized and unexpressed anger, starting twenty seven years ago when, at the age of nine, her mother took off, leaving Diane (the only girl) in charge of her brothers and father. As Daniel's mother so aptly described, Diane had more of a third child in Daniel than a husband or partner. Perhaps Diane did what many of us unwittingly do so well: she chose a mate who helped to recreate her role in her original family. It's not wildly improbable to assume that beneath the facade of the happy, in-charge, in-control woman was someone who was seething with unexpressed frustration and anger, which in turn made her prone to psychosomatic problems, such as TMJ, which was alluded to (moving her jaw, pain near the ear) in the film, perhaps headaches, and/or other stress-related pains and bothersome conditions. One of these conditions likely caused her to stop and seek pain killers, and then, given their unavailability, had Diane turn to vodka and pot, to soothe both her physical and psychic pain. I highly doubt that Diane used these extensively on a regular basis, for, as her friends and relatives described, she functioned too well. She did, however, like to have them on hand, for emergencies such as how she felt that morning: incapacitated by both headache and rage. Another clue suggested by the film was when Jay Schuler casually mentions that Daniel never wanted kids. This is a big, red flag, suggesting to me that on all these happy, festive family events, not to mention in the family activities of their daily lives, Daniel was an unwilling participant. Yes, he was present and he did the perfunctory actions, but ultimately, in the end, he went off on his own (emotionally if not literally) leaving Diane with most of the work. The other enlightening thing that Jay Schuler said was when, about three quarters of the way through the film, she is seen throwing up her hands and talking about Daniel, saying, basically, what a pain-in-the-butt he could be, how he only went so far in a process and then essentially said he had had enough, and also, about his insensitivity toward both her and Bryan, his son. Out loud, I said, "Yeah, imagine how Diane must have felt." There are other psychological pieces which could be addressed but in another venue. As part of a film review, however, I think it's fair to say that the film contributed information which, for me, solidified the opinion I have had since that day two years ago: if there is a real villain in this story, it is Daniel. He is the passive aggressive, disturbed child-man who is not interested in the truth coming out about what happened because that would indict him. I think this is one of the reasons, at least, that the Hances declined participation in the film. Besides their own emotional reasons why they didn't want to appear in it, they may also not want to publicly state certain things, though given the legal actions that are currently taking place, I suspect the truth will soon be known.

• Most horrifying movie I've ever seen

  Patmarie2012-03-28

  Be warned! This movie stuck with me for nearly a week. After it ended I was kind of in shock for the rest of the day. Many may have experienced a similar feeling after seeing Schindler's List, but even that movie contained more hope than this. This is one of the highest quality documentaries I've seen. Very well done. The suspense builds throughout as husband and sister-in-law battle to prove that Diane was not under the influence; that an autopsy stating the contrary had to be a mistake. The film never states this one way or the other, but by the end you will know. It doesn't even come close to preaching on this subject, but makes the point in an extremely powerful, yet subtle way. We first hear about the victims, and the accident, see and hear bits of the funerals. Then we hear the coroner's statement, and think, 'Oh, no, this couldn't be true.', and identify with the denial of Diane's family. Towards the end, we see that Daniel, the widower, seems cold and immature. He does not seem very warm to his young son, the only survivor. I could imagine feeling something like 'My God, you are all I have left, I'm lucky to have you, I love you.' But he says, 'I never even wanted to have kids, and now I'm stuck with this, I'm a single parent.' Okay... There's a heartbreaking scene where the two are walking and Bryan tries to hold his Dad's hand, Dad responds a little and Bryan ultimately gives up. I'm glad Bryan was finally able to at least get therapy. To me the true hero of the story is Jay, the sister-in-law. You can see that she really cares for all of her family involved, and especially for Bryan. She is probably the best person in his life. Driving is an awesome responsibility, and anytime we drive our own or someone else's child, it is even more so. Many of us spend our days shuffling kids here and there, this really makes you pause and think. And...the idea of having anything in your system, even with the excuse of trying to dull the pain of a severe toothache, there is just no way that anyone should even consider getting behind the wheel in that state, let alone consuming more as one is driving. Part of Diane's problem seemed to be that no one could ever tell her what to do or not do. So, she refused to get her teeth cared for as she should have, and when she then had severe pain, treated it her own way, a choice that led to the deaths of eight people, including four young children, causing horrible grief for all the families involved.

• The journey is the thing, not the "goal"

  pivic2015-12-14

  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.