Left On Purpose

Left On Purpose is a poignant documentary, released in 2015, that explores life, death, friendship, and the grim realities of aging and loneliness, giving us a poignant insight into the life of Mayer Vishner, a former Yippie activist, who asks his filmmaker friend Justin Schein to help him take an extreme step- committing suicide.

The film is directed by Justin Schein and features an ensemble cast, including Andrew Hoffman and Michael Ventura, who bring the story to life with their unique performances. Schein, who initially seeks to capture the life of the aging Mayer Vishner, becomes an unwilling participant in his subject's obsession with self-destruction, providing the audience with an insider's perspective on this multifaceted narrative.

Left On Purpose journeys into the lives of people who lived on the fringes, battling societal norms under the banner of the Yippies, an anti-establishment organization of the 60s and 70s. Mayer Vishner, a hardcore Yippie activist, is the central character, whose spirit, perseverance, and radical views captivate the viewers as soon as we meet him.

Throughout the film, we meet Mayer, listen to his anecdotes, his role as an activist, and discover his loneliness as an aging former activist who firmly believes he has outlived his purpose. The film paints a vivid and intricate picture of Mayer's life, combining the personal with the political, braving the unchartered waters of mental health, isolation, and the significance of life itself.

Echoing the larger national history of the 60s and 70s movements, Schein deciphers Vishner's life mainly through the latter's narration, fading pictures, newspaper clippings, and footage from the golden era. Vishner, a custodian of this past shared the compelling stories of his comrades, the political actions they undertook, and the meaningful changes that their collective spirit began in American society.

However, Left On Purpose doesn't solely focus on the past. It provides a sobering and heart-wrenching look into Mayer's present life. As a man grappling with existential dread and unbearable solitude, Mayer candidly talks about his suicidal thoughts, prompting the filmmaker, his friend, Justin Schein, to handle a situation he never initially anticipated.

The documentary morphs into a moral conundrum where Schein attempts to provide his friend with help while facing the ethical dilemmas of documenting such sensitive topics. This dichotomy forms a significant chunk of the narrative and keeps the audiences fastened to the emotional roller coaster journey of Mayer and Schein. Supporting cast Hoffman and Ventura add the flair and depth, narrating their encounters with Mayer, thereby globalizing the individual story into a universal experience.

This documentary is not only an exploration of Mayer Vishner's life but also opens conversations about societal expectations, the perception of success, and the vast shadows cast by loneliness and depression in the twilight of life. Engaging, distressing, and frequently mind-provoking, Left On Purpose aims to offer audiences a glimpse into the harsh realities of a life that has lost its purpose – compelling us to reevaluate our perceptions of old age, mental health, and the intrinsic value of human life.

Left On Purpose strikes an intricate balance between personal narratives and larger arching themes of mental health awareness, loneliness, and the undeniably intertwined journey of life and death. It is a must-watch for those who value brave narrative documentaries and is a tribute to the vibrance and courage encapsulated in one man's legacy facing life and death in his terms. The film leaves us reflecting on the experience, long after the credits roll, engraved not only by Mayer's plight but the potent storytelling approach the filmmakers adopt to narrate it.

In conclusion, Left On Purpose is a powerfully moving, often harrowing, and thought-provoking voyage into the intricacies of a man's life and his battle with his own mortality. This documentary embraces its ethically challenging premise, crafting it into a contemplative narrative about one’s purpose, lasting reflections on life, and what it means to die with dignity.