Cast

Spalding Gray

Film description

On January 10, 2004, Spalding Gray, actor, writer, author of self-deprecating monologues, and NY personality referred to as the WASP Woody Allen for his New England roots and neurotic sense of humor, left home and disappeared without a trace. Several weeks later, the police found his body on the bank of the East River and a brief investigation showed he had committed suicide. Even though depression, death and self-destruction were frequent themes in Gray’s work, his death came as complete surprise to family, friends, and fans. Inspired by Kathy Russo, Gray’s widow, Steven Soderbergh, who had worked with Gray several times, including directing one of his famous monologues, Gray’s Anatomy, made this unusual documentary as part homage and part attempt to analyze events that led up to his death.

And Everything Is Going Fine is both spare and emotional: in editing archive footage from e.g. family films, Soderbergh lets his subject speak without commentary, letting his meandering and seemingly disconnected tale ring out. Masterful use of narration and an evocative score (composed by Forrest Gray, Spalding’s son) engages us to reflect on Spalding’s fate, but also the ephemeral nature of remembrance.

Kamila Sławińska