Saagar Kote
‘The Vanishing of Sidney Hall’ or ‘Sidney Hall’ is the story of a young and gifted writer named Sidney Hall. It chronicles various stages in his life, ranging from his teenage years to adulthood. He is able to achieve popularity at the tender age of twenty-four for writing a novel based on his own experiences of tragedy and trauma. His destiny is also linked to Melody Jameson, a girl he meets as a teenager. One of the most pivotal moments in his life comes when he goes missing, with no one having seen him for nearly five years.
Sidney also experiences visions and images that disturb him, especially when he is in public. A detective gets obsessed with finding Sidney, who still remains missing. He aims to find out why Sidney went away, and also the complex parts of Sidney’s life. Directed by Shawn Christensen, the mystery drama film is a layered examination of memory, mental health, trauma, the meaning of life, and obsession. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Vanishing of Sidney Hall Sheds Light on Tumultuous Human Emotions
‘The Vanishing of Sidney Hall,’ written by the aforementioned director with Jason Dolan, is a fictional story that intricately weaves around human feelings. Despite being an imaginary tale, it stays grounded in its approach to narrating the realistic trials and tribulations of Sidney Hall. It talks about fame at a young age, the cost of creativity, and also the social conditions that shape a writer. On the other hand, it is also a deep meditation on love and trauma. Sidney’s experiences as a teenager move him towards unexpected phases in his adulthood. The influence that trauma has on a creative individual is observable in the story. The movie also focuses on the way in which parent-child relationships play a role in shaping a person’s views.
In an interview with We Live Entertainment, Shawn Christensen, the director, expressed his views on the inspirations behind the film. Talking about Sidney’s struggle with his mother in the story, he said, “When your parents go into your bedroom when you’re a teenager, I think that’s probably a point in time, no matter how cool they are, no matter how much they relate or how close you are, I would imagine they don’t really know what’s going on. Also there’s a lot of things that are magnetized for you at that age when you’re a teenager. Things are so much more important and parents don’t understand that as much.” The vulnerability and insecurities of teenagers are depicted in the story through Sidney’s experiences.
What makes the film unique is that it portrays various stages in Sidney’s life, and doesn’t limit itself to just one overwhelming theme. The director stated that he looked at the life of J. S. Salinger in the initial phases of developing the movie. But this wasn’t the main focus of the narrative. Shawn also highlighted that the story is about an introverted person who gets the inspiration to write from the people he meets. Ultimately, ‘The Vanishing of Sidney Hall’ is a fictional tale that chronicles a wide range of human emotions through Sidney’s experiences.
The Vanishing of Sidney Hall Focuses on Fame and Relevance
‘The Vanishing of Sidney Hall,’ through its fictional plot characters, delves deep into the realm of fame in all its complexities. It narrates how fame can sometimes be dangerous to the emotional stability of an individual. Sidney is a vulnerable character whose fame and youth push him to the edge. Talking to Parade, actor Logan Lerman, who essays Sidney’s role in the film, expressed his feelings on the character. He stated, “The way that I would sum Sidney up is, outside of the fact that he’s a talented writer, he is someone who is struggling with the responsibility that came with writing about people he knew, writing about his town, and taking their pain and their plight and exploiting it.” Sidney is not a simple or stereotypical example of a troubled teenager.
The narrative sensitively deals with his morality, his insecurities, and his passions. Pain becomes an instrument of both liberation and limitation in Sidney’s case. He internalizes others’ pain to get the inspiration to write, but this process also leaves him in a vulnerable zone where he finds it difficult to deal with his own feelings. The movie doesn’t morally judge Sidney, but explores the various facets of his character to understand who he really is and what he represents. In conclusion, ‘The Vanishing of Sidney Hall’ is not a simplistic or generalized take on a teenager, but a layered narration of his life’s most important moments.
