Some might say that this investigation and documentary are a waste. They might say there is no point in searching for answers when the evidence is so clear. In the eyes of the Schuler family, this evidence was a complete lie.
Directed by Liz Garbus,
There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane, follows the life of Diane Schuler, and her family's hardship in further investigating her involvement in the
Taconic State Parkway crash of 2009.
Diane Schuler was placed with the responsibility of driving all the children home from a family camping trip in upstate NY. It was something she was no stranger to. Diane was a dedicated mother and homemaker. She was beloved by everyone she knew. In a completely unexpected turn of events, Diane's mini van was seen traveling down the wrong side of the Taconic State Parkway. After 1.7 miles, a head-on collision ended the journey, killing Schumer, her 3 nieces,
her 2 year-old daughter, and 3 men in the other vehicle. The only survivor of the crash was her then 5 year-old son, who could only attest that his mother had trouble seeing and didn't feel well.
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| The Schuler family mini van after the crash in 2009 |
Finding high levels of alcohol and marijuana in Diane's system, her family is still in disbelief that the Diane they knew could endanger so many lives. It is a truly heartbreaking story. Diane Schuler's husband and sister-in-law continue to fight for her reputation. It is hard not to feel sympathy for Diane, with the information later given to us. The film begins with the press conference footage of her tearful husband insisting that the toxicology reports must be wrong.
This is a case filled with controversy. The victim's families are frustrated. They feel that the Schuler's insistence on clearing Diane's name as a closet drunk is a slap in the face for the victim's justice. How
can you dispute the hard evidence? Could there have been a mix-up in the lab? Could there be some kind of medical issue to cause such results that we are unaware of?
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| Video surveillance from the gas station Diane stopped in soon before the crash appearing sober, but asking for pain relievers |
Paced very well,
There's Something Wrong, covers Schuler's history, interviews old friends, as well as witnesses of the accident, interspersed with a linear timeline of the incident from when she left the camp site, to the crash itself. It comes together in pieces; after we learn a new facet of Schuler's life, we get sucked back to the infamous day, seeing her inch closer to the incident. By the time you get to the moment of impact, we know Schuler's medical history, her personal life, and her family. It makes the moment that much more intense. The end is clear as soon as the film begins, but the culminating moment is so charged with suspense and tragedy, that I could not help but cry. The events plainly stated are undoubtedly horrific, but
There's Something Wrong takes you on that fateful ride till it sinks into you.
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| Diane and Daniel Schuler |
At first the documentary appears to side with the Schulers - aside from a few interviews with the victims families and witnesses of the crash. However, Garbus does not hesitate to show the meetings and desperate phone conversations where investigators and doctors double check the damning test results, only to find once again they were accurate. Even with all the pieces laid out there is an incomplete puzzle. The Schuler's testimony on Diane's life only make it harder to complete.
