Why do we give our love to another person when we just end up alone in the end? This hypothetical question has stumped lovers, poets, and philosophers for years but I believe it comes down to this one reason: we love because that’s the only way to live.

Award-winning documentarian Kirsten Johnson (Cameraperson) shows that loving wholeheartedly may be painful but the reward of being vulnerable and sharing your life with another person far outweighs the eventual heartache of losing them in her most personal film yet, Dick Johnson is Dead. After seeing the mental decline of her aging father, Kirsten suggested making a film about him dying. In her unique way, she works through her emotional hang-ups and the not-so-distant reality of his death by enacting hilariously absurd death scenarios. To execute this, she enlists her 86-years-young, retired psychiatrist father, Dick Johnson, to play himself.

These surreal fantasy moments are sprinkled in throughout an otherwise emotional and at times, heartbreaking, storyline. Dick’s memory continues to decline as the film progresses and Kirsten captures it all on camera. The laughter, the tears, the struggles, the chocolate cake. With Dick Johnson is Dead, Kirsten has created a darkly humorous awakening to the reality of death and the impact we all leave behind when we’re gone. One of the most powerful moments comes from Dick’s “funeral,” where a group of his family and friends -who knowingly participated in this mock service- are gathered to reminisce about his impact on their lives. And even though Dick Johnson is alive and well, watching from a peephole behind the door, half of the room is in tears. That’s the power of love.

I couldn’t help but think about my dad while watching Dick Johnson is Dead. I’m so lucky to have such a close relationship with him and my worst fear is the thought of losing him one day. But I keep coming back to this quote from the film, “What loving demands is that we face the fear of losing each other.” Love greatly, without regrets, because we only get one chance.

And at 2:56 pm, as soon as the film ended and I closed out of the Netflix browser, my dad texted me asking when I was going to come over and visit.

Distributed by Netflix, Dick Johnson is Dead is available to stream on Netflix this Friday, October 2, 2020.