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Meg Howell
Ms. Jane Taylor
English 2201
4 September 2018
Summary Analysis Response Essay #1
The beautifully subtle, yet dramatic, documentary Stories We Tell, presents a family all
linked to one Canadian actress, Diane Polley. Her daughter, Sarah Polley, goes on a
heartwarming and tragic mission to find out the truth about their family. As time goes on, the
story begins to change from person to person, leading to excavations of secrets long hidden. This
process includes many emotionally vulnerable interviews with friends and family, immense
amounts of research, and confrontation with opposing stories. Sarah is left in what must be an
extremely exhausting position, her mind filled with new information that goes against everything
she has ever known. Although part of her world must be completely changed, Sarah maintains
her curiosity and insatiable attitude, and delves into a past previously foreign to her. The journey
is one filled with sadness and grief, but also shows an unbreakable bond between a family that
has truly seen it all.
Throughout the film, a constant theme of the importance of family can be seen. Although
Sarah’s biological father is not who the man she had spent her whole life with, she still holds a
connection to both of them. The flashbacks make for a documentary with a non-linear style, and
provide more than enough background information to set up the plot. With all that happens in the
storyline (death, adultery, loss of children, etc.), Stories We Tell seems to be almost built to make
those watching it cry. Unless one has a strong emotional wall built up, this film tugs at every
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string of the heart. When all is said and done, it seems that Sarah’s goal was to show just how
much stories can vary (even in just one family) and how important they are all. She most
definitely did this, even going above and beyond in her research to show the raw truths of her
mother’s life.
Being the inquisitive person that I am, I relate to this Sarah’s character/personality quite a
bit. She has a desire for honesty and she works hard to find it, as do I with my journalistic
endeavors. In terms of the film as a whole, the emotionality of it is something that can also be
seen in my life. I prefer truth, no matter how much it may hurt me. It is almost as if being overly
emotional is what keeps me going. Unlike Sarah, the stories in my life are not quite as interesting
or profound. There are no hidden baby daddies, and there are no actors. Of course, I guess that is
the point of it all. We all have different stories, and they all matter. This movie has drastically
changed my perception on the art of storytelling, and I will never be able to look at it the same
way again.
