Watch First Cousin Once Removed

First Cousin Once Removed is a poignant and heartbreaking documentary from 2012 that follows the decline of Edwin Honig, a respected poet and translator, as he battles with Alzheimer's disease. The film is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Alan Berliner, who is also Honig's first cousin once removed. Honig is the main focus of the film, and through a blend of interviews, diary entries, and archival footage, we get a deep insight into his life, work, and relationships. He began his career as a poet in the 1950s and went on to become a distinguished professor of French and comparative literature at Brown University. Honig was awarded numerous awards for his literary translations, including the National Book Award in 1968.

As the film begins, Honig is already a few years into his battle with Alzheimer's disease, and his condition is deteriorating rapidly. Berliner's film follows Honig over the course of several years, as he becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful. We see him struggling to remember names, faces, and even basic words. As Honig's memory fades, he becomes increasingly dependent on the people around him, including his wife and daughter.

One of the most striking aspects of the film is its frank honesty about the realities of Alzheimer's disease. We see Honig at his best and worst, and the film does not shy away from showing the difficult moments, including moments of anger, frustration, and sadness. Berliner's fly-on-the-wall style allows us to observe the interactions between Honig and his family members, including his daughter, the poet Marie Howe, and his wife of more than 50 years.

Throughout the film, we also see glimpses of Honig's life before Alzheimer's took hold. We see him reading his poetry at literary events, joking with friends, and spending time with his family. These moments provide a poignant contrast to the present-day footage, as we witness his slow decline.

The film is also notable for its exploration of memory and identity. Honig's struggles with Alzheimer's are a stark reminder of how closely our memories are tied to our sense of self. As Honig's memory deteriorates, he becomes increasingly disconnected from the person he once was, leaving his loved ones to grapple with the painful reality of losing someone before they have truly gone. We also see how Honig's condition affects his relationships with those around him, as they struggle to come to terms with the changes in his personality and abilities.

In addition to Honig's story, the film also sheds light on the broader impact of Alzheimer's disease. Through interviews with caregivers, researchers, and other individuals affected by the disease, we see how it has become an epidemic in our society, affecting millions of people around the world. The film highlights the urgent need for more research and resources to help those living with Alzheimer's and their families.

Overall, First Cousin Once Removed is a moving and powerful portrait of a man facing one of the most difficult challenges of the human experience. Berliner's film is a testament to the power of documentary filmmaking to capture the complexity of the human experience with compassion, authenticity, and grace. Whether you have a personal connection to Alzheimer's or not, this film is sure to leave a lasting impression and provoke important conversations about memory, identity, and the human condition.

First Cousin Once Removed is a 2014 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 18 minutes. It has received outstanding reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.5 and a MetaScore of 94.