It all started with a car accident in 1990 that ends badly for those involved, Richard Minnich and his wife. But a few days later, Richard wakes up and doesn't know who he is anymore. Let alone that he can remember his family. Diagnosis: total amnesia! But Richard does not despair. On the contrary: from now on he calls himself "New Richard" and starts a whole new life with a new woman.
Years later, documentary filmmaker Rick Minnich, son of "Old Richard", living in Germany, tries to find out why his father never managed to recover his memory. The result of this very personal and difficult research is the gripping documentary "Forgetting Dad". With the help of family members, former colleagues and friends, Minnich tries to get answers to all his questions. But what he unearths through interviews, conversations, and old Super-8 films often only raises more questions instead of providing the answers he was hoping for.
Although Rick Minnich doesn't really seem engaging as a narrator, his film manages to keep viewers hooked until the very end. While there are some unnecessary repetitions and minor lengths here and there, the progression of the unusual story is as suspenseful as a whodunit. "Forgetting Dad" is a gripping as well as harrowing family story, at the end of which there are still many unanswered questions, but also quite a few important insights. For lovers of extraordinary documentaries absolutely recommendable!
