‘Come See Me In The Good Light’ review: Affecting doc follows US poet Andrea Gibson’s cancer battle

Dir: Ryan White. US. 2025. 105mins

As they battled terminal cancer, acclaimed US poet Andrea Gibson was determined to live until at least 50 – a wish that didn’t come true as they died in July 2025, less than a month before their golden birthday. But Come See Me In The Good Light pays tribute to their indomitable spirit, the documentary celebrating their life and artistry as they grappled with mortality. Director Ryan White’s film is an emotional viewing experience that was completed before Gibson’s passing, its moving centrepiece the poet’s long-term loving relationship with fellow writer Megan Falley.

A reflective, philosophical tone

Premiering at this year’s Sundance, where it won the Festival Favorite Award, Come See Me had a healthy festival run with multiple awards and a limited US release on November 14 before now streaming on Apple TV. Awards hopes are mounting for the film; it recently snagged a field-leading six nominations at the Cinema Eye Honors, including for feature and direction, and this tearjerking, life-affirming journey should strike a chord with Oscar voters.

In 2021, Gibson was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, resulting in years of chemotherapy and other treatments. As the cancer starts to spread, documentarian White (Critics’ Choice documentary winner Good Night Oppy) spends time with Gibson and Falley in the couple’s Colorado home, observing how they adjust to Gibson’s uncertain future. Come See Me also spotlights some of Gibson’s best-known poems, as well as Gibson’s reflections on being an awkward child who, growing up, felt more like a boy even though they presented as a girl.

Although Blake Neely’s sentimental score can often be intrusive, Come See Me offers a frank, recognisable depiction of life with cancer. It appears that White has not significantly altered the documentary since Sundance, not revealing that Gibson died a few months after its festival premiere. But most viewers will probably be aware of that fact, which makes Gibson’s onscreen vitality all the more poignant.

Making their name as a spoken-word poet who first developed their voice in the slam-poetry scene, Gibson has a sparkling speaking style in conversation, but their performance of their funny, bittersweet poems is particularly impressive in its musicality. Charting the ups and downs of a cancer diagnosis — an encouraging medical report is followed by a devastating one — Come See Me has a gripping urgency that briefly distracts the audience from the knowledge that Gibson’s story will ultimately be a sad one.

As a counterbalance, the documentary focuses on the deep love between Gibson and Falley. Both of them artists, they enormously respected each other’s work, offering tough but honest feedback. As much as Come See Me is a portrait of illness, it’s also a salute to a creative and romantic partnership that only grew richer after Gibson’s diagnosis. White was given substantial access to Gibson and Falley’s life and delicately dissects the couple’s bond, speaking to each of them separately to better understand their rapport.  The couple express themselves openly, possessing a thoughtfulness and emotional intelligence that were clearly crucial ingredients in their relationship

Especially touching is Falley’s admission that she sometimes feels overwhelmed by the enormity of her partner’s struggle — more than 10 years younger than Gibson, she confesses she’s not sure she’s equipped for this unfathomable grief. Those doubting comments only underline what a terrifically supportive partner she is throughout Come See Me, remaining optimistic during the darkest of times. (Tellingly, Gibson tells White that they fear Falley might be in denial about what’s coming.)

Just as Gibson ultimately embraces their inevitable passing, so too does the documentary adopt a reflective, philosophical tone that’s powerfully affecting. For much of their young life, Gibson suffered from suicidal thoughts, and they savour the dark irony that cancer has helped them fully appreciate living. White lands on an organic happy ending that doesn’t negate Gibson’s sad circumstance but, instead, reinforces everything that was so inspirational about their poetry and worldview.