Pure O is the story of a man’s struggle with a rare form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – Pure Obsessional. Pure Obsessional Disorder is also commonly referred to as Primarily Obsessional Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. People who experience this form of OCD are mainly affected by their obsessive thought patterns, with less of an outwardly visible compulsion. While you might think of OCD as being hallmarked by compulsive hand-washing, tapping, counting, or things like that, those who are Primarily Obsessional will have mental compulsions and rituals that are not as obvious to most observers.
OCD, like most mental disorders, is largely misrepresented in television and film. Writer/director Dillon Tucker was diagnosed with Pure O himself, and it’s a personal, semi-autobiographical story for him. In his directorial feature debut, Tucker wanted to address the often misunderstood disorder and the stigma surrounding it. Not only did Tucker write and direct Pure O, but he also produced, edited, and wrote the music for the film. It’s clear that Tucker’s heart and soul was poured into Pure O.
Daniel Dorr stars as Cooper, a man who works at an addiction treatment center in Malibu and believes himself to be suffering from some situational depression. When his therapist first suggests to him that he may have OCD, he exclaims that he does not have a mental illness. Clearly, there’s some internalized ableism and stigma happening here that Cooper will need to work though. He scours the internet for more information on the disorder, and finds it all rings too true for him to deny.
Cooper begins to attend group therapy, led by a therapist named Nora (Candice Renee). The scenes of the therapy group feel natural and realistic, especially the performance from Clint James as Rodney, a man who has been coping with OCD for his whole life. There’s a scene where Rodney is describing a particularly bad day, where his obsessions and compulsions really got the best of him, and he’s laughing while he tells the story, knowing how ridiculous it is. He starts to cry through his laughter, so tired of his mental illness getting the best of him. It’s an emotional scene, and these group scenes are among Pure O’s most striking and heart-rending.
Daniel Dorr’s real life girlfriend, Hope Lauren, co-stars as Cooper’s girlfriend Emily. The two have just gotten engaged, and much of Cooper’s OCD revolves around his worry about hurting Emily. Despite this, at times Dorr’s performance falls very flat and he seems bored at times when this doesn’t make sense for Cooper. It’s the largest downfall of what is otherwise a very emotional and moving film. Other than these few uninterested and moments — mostly at the beginning of the film — Dorr’s performance seems strong and sincere.
Dillon Tucker/SXSW
While Tucker wanted to make this film a more realistic depiction of mental illness, there is also a realistic portrayal of addiction at play in Pure O. The portrayal of addiction treatment though, at the rehab center Cooper works at in Malibu, seems pretty unrealistic. Most people who go to rehab don’t get to go to fancy sprawling campuses in beautiful locations for their rehabilitation, but the people that Cooper counsels at the facility do seem true to life. It’s a refreshing take on both mental illness and addiction, with both subjects addressed with an honesty and unashamed attitude that is inspiring and effective.
Ultimately, Cooper’s mental illness and treatment for it end up changing his life in ways he never could have expected — and the lives of those around him, too. If you’ve been a fan of films like Sound of Metal, another deeply personal tale of a man working through a challenging illness, you will appreciate Pure O. Pure O is ultimately very poignant and genuine. If you’ve struggled with a mental illness of any sort, or if you’ve loved someone who has, this film is for you.
Pure O has it’s world premiere at this years SXSW.
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