Louis Theroux's Altered States: Choosing Death is a deep-diving documentary that explores the complex moral and emotional challenges surrounding one of the most controversial issues of our time—the right to die.

Renowned British journalist and documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux serves as the viewer's guideway into the delicate but important world of medically assisted death. His empathetic demeanor, well-balanced coverage, and intrinsic ability to ask the difficult questions make him uniquely suited to delve into such a challenging topic.

The film is part of the "Louis Theroux's Altered States" series—a collection of documentaries investigating the unusual, controversial and sometimes downright strange aspects of American society. Each episode of the series highlights a different topic, and in ‘Choosing Death’ Theroux turns his insightful lens onto the terminally ill patients in California, who have the legal right to spend their final days on their own terms by choosing to end their lives, causing him to grapple with the moral and ethical dilemmas surrounding assisted dying.

California, as a state, offers terminally ill patients the option of ending their lives under the End of Life Option Act. The documentary vividly portrays the stark realities of this scenario. Through authentic and heartfelt interviews, Theroux introduces viewers to people on both sides of the argument; physicians who, with the patients' consent, prescribe life-ending drugs and families struggling with their loved ones' decisions to die.

Theroux’s repertoire as a versatile documentary filmmaker comes to the fore in this feature, and it is evident that he walks on proverbial thin ice as he broaches a topic of such sensitivity. Despite the challenging and heavy subject matter, the film carries a tasteful balance, illustrating both the heart-wrenching experiences of families who have lost loved ones, as well as revealing the various reasons why some choose to end their lives.

In usual Theroux fashion, the documentary is free from judgement and propaganda. It is not a pro-euthanasia film nor is it against it. It simply invites the audience to understand the complexity of the choices at hand and to appreciate the bravery of those who are facing their mortality head-on.

Choosing Death gives viewers a poignant insight into the world of assisted dying. This isn't a journey about death in as much as it’s about life—how people choose to spend their remaining days and the kind of legacy they want to leave behind. This delicate exploration is masterfully balanced by Theroux's questioning and reflective approach.

The emotional intensity of the personal stories Theroux captures is intense, with the documentary sowing seeds of empathy and understanding throughout. From following individuals contemplating life-ending decisions, to capturing the profound impact on the families left behind, the documentary asks the viewer to thoughtfully consider both the philosophical and sociological aspects of death and dying.

Despite the darkness of the subject matter, Theroux provides an alternative viewpoint to a subject that has been, on many occasions, considered taboo. Each individual story is handled with care, and Theroux manages to dissect the controversy without trivializing it—allowing the stories of real people to be heard without any alteration.

The audience is taken on an intimate exploration of what exactly it means to choose death, the reasoning behind such a decision, and the emotional aftershock that subsequently ensues. But more than that, it's a commentary on human freedom, choice, and dignity—opening a dialogue on one of the most sensitive issues in human life.

Louis Theroux's Altered States: Choosing Death is an intelligent, involving and deeply moving piece of documentary filmmaking that not only addresses a controversial issue but also investigates how society responds to the question of 'who has the right to decide when a life has reached its end?'. It’s a testament to Theroux’s sensitivity and intellectual rigor as a filmmaker that he manages to humanise an experience that is all too often dehumanised.