New Aussie black comedy Totally Completely Fine explores suicide, grief, isolation – and the power of human connection
Retrieved on:
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Decked out with grandpa-chic mid-century décor that suits Vivian’s vintage rocker aesthetic, the art deco home backs onto a stunning cliffside vista looking out over the ocean.
Key Points:
- Decked out with grandpa-chic mid-century décor that suits Vivian’s vintage rocker aesthetic, the art deco home backs onto a stunning cliffside vista looking out over the ocean.
- This six-part black comedy explores suicide, grief, isolation and the power of human connection.
Complicated grief
- Through the character of Vivian, Totally Completely Fine looks at something called complicated grief, also known as Prolonged Grief Disorder.
- Complicated grief occurs when the effects of grief remain pervasive and overpowering, interrupting the lives of bereaved people.
- Read more:
What Prince Harry's memoir Spare tells us about 'complicated grief' and the long-term impact of losing a mother so young
Human connection
- Charming paperboy Louis (Max Crean) has more going on than his chipper demeanour lets on.
- But John’s boyfriend, the handsome and emotionally intelligent Alejandro (Édgar Vittorino), models the compassion these characters need.
- Where the relationships between Viv, John and Hendrix are weighed down by the baggage of their past, Alejandro shows the value of actively reaching out, listening – really listening – to people, and affirming their value as individual human beings.
The taboo of psychological struggles
- “Lots of people think that the line between them and what happens out there [on the cliff] is a thick one,” she says.
- It is common for people not to tell anyone about suicidal thoughts, and it remains a taboo in contemporary society.
- This can compound effects of psychological distress by increasing feelings of shame and isolation.
- Totally Completely Fine opens up this discussion in a human, heartfelt way without ever being cheesy or didactic.