I Think We're Alone Now Reviews

“Deeply, deeply troubling documentary about two mentally unstable individuals who obsessively stalk '80s pop sensation Tiffany.

Jeff is a 50-year-old man from Santa Cruz with Asperger's Syndrome who believes that he is Tiffany's best friend and that he can communicate with her telepathically. Kelly is a 38-year-old hermaphrodite who had a dream about Tiffany as an adolescent and his remained fixated on her ever since. During the course of the film, they candidly discuss their compulsive need to get Tiffany's attention, and even meet up at one point to attend a Tiffany concert.

The film is disturbing, largely because director Sean Donnelly tells the story entirely from the perspective of these two troubled, delusional people. At first, we're tempted to laugh, but eventually, we come to fear the protagonists. Though it's unclear whether either of those poses a distinct threat to Tiffany, it's clear that they are a threat to themselves, and that it would not take much provocation to send them completely over the edge.

I'm not sure how I feel about the film. I can't deny that it's occasionally fascinating, as a very up-close, intimate look at the day-to-day existence of the mentally ill. But it also feels somewhat exploitative, and in an odd way, seems to condone Jeff and Kelly's obsession, just by studying it in such careful, loving detail.

A must-see for fans of documentaries about mental illness (or fans of shows like "Intervention" and "Hoarders.") But it's not really a fun time at the movies.”