Review for ‘‘Still I Reach For You’’ by Victor A. Janusz

Victor Janusz has stated that throughout his career in music & film, his aim and modus operandi has always been centered on storytelling. And at its heart, Still I Reach for You, his latest work, does just that above all else, immersing us in what gay love means in a post-HIV/AIDS world.

The script, undoubtedly the film’s strongest suit, is in equal parts emotional, darkly comedic and journalistic, as it documents a gay couple’s life through the AIDS epidemic in parallel with the sole-living member’s present life, as he navigates dating again, survivor’s guilt and the bittersweet memories of love in times of the plague. The story, though fundamentally tragic, is told by alternating between the 90s and the present in snippets that range from grimly realistic and heart-aching to surreal and sardonically funny. As a whole, the film is sensitive and thoughtful in how it approaches grief, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the nuances of the gay experience then and now.

From a technical standpoint, Janusz and his team present us not only with crisp cinematography and novel editing choices, but also an excellent, moody soundtrack that betrays the director’s musician roots, with the final song being a touching highlight. Great sound design and performances that may not always hit the mark, but never fail to convey rich emotion and empathy round out this filmmaking triumph.

In conclusion, Still I Reach for You combines a frontline documentary approach to filmmaking, a dynamic plot structure, jazz fusion beats and a moving emotional core to create a soul-wrenching tour-de-force that guides us to catharsis and introspection through humor and smooth esthetics.