Written and directed by Bob Celli, co-written by Laura Delano, starring Emmy Winning actress Penny Fuller, portraying Lenore McDowell, a veteran of WWI. She is being interviewed by her granddaughter, Laura (Nicole Roberts), about her experiences during the war as an Army Nurse. Lenore reveals a dramatic and deeply personal part of her life during her time “over there” that she has never shared before.
Before discussing anything else, firstly it has to be said that this is a lovely idea, the whole concept comes from such a sweet place, filled with admiration. It’s something that can be felt throughout My Over There because it is an intensely sentimental film. The atmosphere is a highly nostalgic walk down memory lane, it’s intimate and has a romantic edge. It’s almost akin to Gloria Stuart in the Titanic, it has that mix of fond memories which wander into sadness.
There are interesting issues at play, from the role of women during the war to the experience of Black men in service, and when they return home. However, there’s only really the time and space to touch upon these issues, they’re not explored rather mentioned in passing. It tends to follow a winding, reflective path, not quite engaging with the political aspects to its tale. My Over There does have its feet firmly in sentimental territory which unfortunately holds it back from hitting stronger emotional notes.
Another issue is the interview style narration, which can feel overtly familiar, it’s extremely reminiscent of made for television documentaries. My Over There does approach docudrama territory and it would have been great to see it fully commit and go for something like Chase Joynt’s blend of reality and recreation with Framing Agnes. It follows a fairly firm structure, and although its use of archive footage and photographs is a great choice, its atmosphere doesn’t always feel natural. Although the performance from Penny Fuller does add a nice note of sincerity, and her delivery is well timed and thoughtful.
My Over There is a very personal, affectionate yet sad tale. It’s a tender, lingering walk through beloved memories of the past, mired by WWI. It finds itself in a slightly romanticised reality, not quite a rosy lens but it is a little too heavy on the sentiment. There’s a great story at work, it’s just a shame that more time isn’t given to explore the complex issues it finds along the way, to ground it and balance that sentimentality.
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