Telling Nicholas (2002) User Reviews

A documentary maker chronicles one family's attempts to tell a child his mother has died in the World Trade Center disaster.

[pseudoblond · 15 September 2002]

Powerful and moving documentary. And to think that this story could be about any of the 10,000 or so children who lost a parent or parents in the World Trade Center attacks. Very interesting to tie in the story of the Muslim family who lost a relative, too. So sad.

One of 9/11's youngest victims learns his Mother's fate.

[meg1014 · 10/10 · 4 February 2003]

This is the most powerful documentary on 9/11. We see the impact of a woman's death in the World Trade Center on her family, mainly her 7 year old son. This was the epitome of what the country felt; sadness, fear and Anger. The documentary, shown on HBO, centered around 7 year old Nicholas. His mother had not returned home the day of the tragedy and never did. Thus necessitating telling Nicholas what happened. A truly heart wrenching view of 9/11's smallest and most innocent victims. It is raw and uncensored for the most part, true Reality TV.

My heart hurts tonight

[starstealinggirl · 9/10 · 23 September 2006]

This documentary takes place in the two weeks following the World Trade Center disaster. By the end of it I was bawling. I couldn't even tell my husband the plot because it would start me crying again. The openness of this family to allow a video crew to document the worst moment of their lives is just astounding.

It was a bit hard to follow who all the characters were, and I *hated* how the director kept showing the gaping holes in the towers over and over and over again. That part felt very tacky and exploitive.

But through this documentary, you get to actually see how one family copes with the sudden loss of their family member. I think it brings home some of the events you didn't see on TV on 9/11. The actual people and how it has effected their lives forever.

If you choose to watch it, be prepared for extremely emotional scenes. I would not recommend this for young children.

Absolutely heartbroken for this family

[nikki_pitt · 10/10 · 12 September 2010]

I have never in my life watched something so heartbreaking and raw. Words cannot describe the devastating emotion I felt for this family especially Nicholas and his grandmother. If anyone out there is not happy with their life I suggest watching this movie to make you realize how lucky you are. I really hope to find out how the family is coping now 9 years later and especially hope to see Nicholas and his grandmother and the rest of the family doing well. As a mother words cannot describe the pain of watching another mother going through this and the sorrow I feel for them. I highly highly highly recommend this movie for all to watch.

Creepy

[jt92871 · 15 September 2011]

When I began watching "Telling Nicholas," I felt as if I'd have to keep putting my hand in front of my face, knowing what this film's about, but not knowing the timing of the film. The beginning had me very intrigued.....then the craziness started: One of the sisters goes into a "catatonic" state, where she would act as though she couldn't answer any questions, even when people would look right into her eyes. Then, out of nowhere, she would answer....sometimes. The second sister took an online course in "Naturality", got a PhD and could see demons and spirits and Jesus and she told the first sister something that put her in the catatonic state....we never did find out what she told her. Oh, and she lives in her parent's basement and, according to her brother-in-law, never leaves. The mom/grandmother seemed very mean and hateful to me, prejudicial (ALL Muslims should be tortured before they are killed), might as well throw in possibly racial since she probably would have been...had she had a chance to comment about afro-Americans or asians. Then there's the fainting spells. Evidently, she faints easily.....looked to be about every 30 seconds or so. I'm honestly surprised she wasn't black and blue everywhere from her fainting spells. The boy that the film's about is 7yo but, seems to me, to be very toddler-like. He didn't seem to have a realistic grasp on reality, not just concerning 9/11, but with his life in general. When he was told his mother died in the attack on the towers, he sounded like he cried for a second, then he asked his dad if they could go out and get "another wife" and even suggests, "Can we go tomorrow?" Like I wrote, I was intrigued in the beginning, but then the theatrics started. It seemed very unrealistic and contrived to me. For me, the best part was when the mean grandma actually walked down the sidewalk with the Muslim boy, who was also portrayed in the film, with his family knowing that his father was also killed in the attack. They seemed more genuine to me. Maybe the film should've been about them.