Paint It Black

Paint It Black is a 2016 American film directed by Amber Tamblyn and co-written with Ed Dougherty based on Janet Fitch's 2006 novel of the same name. The film premiered at the 2016 LA Film Festival. The story centers on how a young artist's suicide affects his mother and girlfriend, who blame each other for the tragedy. Plot After her boyfriend, Michael, ignores her for days, Josie receives a phone call from the police informing her that he committed suicide at a motel. At the funeral she is attacked by Michael's mother, Meredith, who blames Josie for his death. Michael's father, Cal, takes her out for drinks after the funeral to explain that Michael was heavily depressed and that he and Meredith had an unusually close relationship with Cal being regarded as the interloper. Josie copes with Michael's death by going out and getting drunk every night. When that no longer works she visits Meredith's home and the two get drunk together. The following morning Meredith tracks Josie down and asks Josie to show her the place she lived with Michael. Josie reluctantly consents but refuses to let Meredith take any of Michael's possessions. The following night, returning home, she finds that Meredith has stolen nearly everything in the apartment. In retaliation Josie breaks into Meredith's home and steals back some of Michael's things. Later she calls Meredith from a phone booth and accuses her of trying to kill her. She makes Meredith promise to return Michael's sketchbooks to her. Meredith goes to meet her with only a few of the notebooks and then asks her to move in with her temporarily, promising to give her the rest of Michael's things.