Watch I Am Another You

I Am Another You is a documentary film from 2017 that takes viewers on a journey of self-discovery through the eyes of Dylan, a charismatic, free-spirited young man. Director Nanfu Wang, who spent two years filming Dylan, refers to the film as a "documentary poem." The film begins when Wang meets Dylan, a wandering free-spirit, while visiting Florida. With only his backpack and a guitar, Dylan's lack of a traditional home sparks Wang's curiosity. She decides to follow him, eventually traveling with him across the country to explore his unconventional lifestyle. Through her camera lens, Wang captures the essence of Dylan's carefree spirit, chasing life without any attachments or commitments.

As the film progresses, viewers learn more about Dylan's past, including his estranged relationship with his family and his struggles with mental health. Despite his hardships, Dylan's positive outlook on life and his desire to experience everything the world has to offer is infectious. Through the lens of the film, viewers are given a glimpse into the beauty and pain of living on the fringes of society and the impact that it can have on a person's life.

Along the way, Wang incisively captures Dylan's journey, at times protecting him with her camera and other times questioning whether she should intervene. Dylan's nomadic lifestyle exposes him to dangers and unforeseen scenarios. The director's relationship with Dylan evolves throughout the filming. She fights with her ethical boundaries as a filmmaker and a human.

As the film progresses, it becomes clear that the ultimate goal of Wang's journey is to understand herself in the context of Dylan's way of life. Dylan's aura and his sense of freedom prompt Wang to re-evaluate her own values, goals, and ideals. The film depicts how people can live freely and spontaneously, how one person's way of life can affect another's, and how both parties can teach and heal each other in the process.

One of the most remarkable things about I Am Another You is Wang's use of cinematic language to blend the subject's point of view with her own. The camera work is unobtrusive, which imparts an authentic feeling to the whole film.

The cinematography is also noteworthy in the way it captures some of nature's most stunning landscapes, making viewers yearn to leave their laptops and phones and explore the country's beauty at a slow, relaxing pace.

The film ends with the revelation that even though the viewer may feel they've connected with Dylan, they are also just a stranger watching from afar. The constraints of society, cultural conditioning, and individual histories make true connection elusive.

I Am Another You is a deeply-engaging and thought-provoking documentary. It's an adventure story that questions what happiness, freedom, and connection means in our increasingly-stressful world. It is a film that simultaneously celebrates Dylan's unique journey and pushes back against the societal norms we live under. This is a must-watch for anyone that is looking to break free and find themselves. Towards the end of the film, viewers realize that Dylan is still wandering, and Wang's stay with him was just for a limited time. As the viewer waves goodbye to Dylan, it hits home that every stranger represents something that we're missing in our lives.

I Am Another You is a 2017 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 22 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 85.