Have you ever been unhappy with your life? Did you ever wonder what would have happened if you had done something differently? These are the questions that are tackled in “Me Myself I” and are answered for one person, the main character in the movie.
Pamela Drury lives the life of a successful and respected magazine journalist in Sydney, Australia. She has everything that a modern woman could want, except a man. To be exact, the man, “the one that got away.” This one thing lacking in her life depresses her and makes her blind to all the things she does have.
Sounds a little trite. Wait, there’s more. Then, by some magical providence, she is hit by a car. The twist: the person driving this car is a different version of herself, the one who married the “one that got away.”
So, the original Pamela goes home with the mirror Pamela to talk, but finds that when the kids get home, mirror Pamela has mysteriously disappeared. You can see where this is going. The original Pamela gets the chance to live the life she was lamenting over, but she finds out that while it’s good, it’s not the life she really wants.
I admit, the plot doesn’t sell the movie. What does is a wonderful performance by Rachel Griffiths, who plays the dual roles of both Pamelas.
You believe that she is actually going through the struggles that her character is. Her actions, both dramatic and comic, are all well within the realm of possibility, unlike the plot. Example: I don’t know what it’s like to put in a diaphragm, but the movie made it seem pretty funny yet truthful at the same time.
To contrast the range of emotions, there is wonderful variety in the soundtrack of the film. From old British rock songs to soft piano background music, the sounds create a flow to carry you along with the action.
The movie deals with the themes of lament and self acceptance quite well, even if they have been done before.
While they are universal themes, the female slant created by the main character can be hard to get past for the male audience. The movie doesn’t fall victim to the “chick flick” trap, though. It is more of a character study of what this person is doing to deal with disappointment in her life.
Despite any clichés, in the end “Me Myself I” leaves you feeling happy. According to the press release, that was the director’s goal when making the movie, and she accomplished that goal quite well.
So if you’re in need of a “pick-me-up,” or just a good laugh, this movie has “you” written all over it.