A short kid from a Canadian army base becomes the international pop culture darling of the 1980s—only to find the course of his life altered by a stunning diagnosis. What happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease?
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Reviews
Ziggy
10
By Ziggy
An AMAZINGLY well done perspective of Parisians Disease as it impacts a person and changes their life forever.
I related this film to a close personal friend diagnosed with the same disabling disease. Over the course of time he opted in for a special surgery that implants two devices in the body. This act, was worth the wait as his uncontrollable shaking attacks diminished enough he drives again, rode a 100 miles on his bicycle and ... well, lives as close to "normal" as people without the disease.
I love Michael's approach allowing the crew to see exactly how this impacts his life. The inclusion of his growth on TV / Movies was a great addition.
The amazing, most crazy part of all of this is his absolutely adoring family. His wife sticking through EVERY piece of his life as HE struggles with loosing all things he could do on his own. She's an amazing woman, a true Diamond of ladies that any person would want in their lives.
CinemaSerf
7
By CinemaSerf
Now this is how you do a documentary about illness! Clearly this is a man with considerable skill in front of a camera, but his general demeanour and willingness to reflect on the drawbacks and positives of his Parkinson's Disease is revelatory and engaging. Using his highly successful Hollywood career as a bedrock, he shares the roller-coaster ride that has been his life. From his burger-fuelled bedsit, through "Family Ties" then his struggle to get film roles, his astonishing success and then to his discovery and disclosure of his illness. It's all presented candidly, amusingly and by a fellow who has steadfastly refused to be beaten. Frequently looking a bit bruised and battered after a fall, and unafraid to illustrate the effects on his mobility and speech, he uses his celebrity status to fundraise for better research into this debilitating brain disease - but he does it without whining. He appreciates he's had a great life - he's a wealthy man with a wife of 30-odd years and four children whom he clearly adores. So many of the documentaries we see nowadays are presented by people who take a camera phone and just use it as an excuse for an highly personal rant. This man has taken the time to construct - from his own book - a narrative that structures how his own (pretty constant) physiotherapy, his dependence on medication and the love of his family give him continuing strength to combat his own demons, sure, but also to put things into a perspective and that I found sad, but actually quite heart-warming. My one complaint is the interviews he does with director Davis Guggenheim. Couldn't he have given himself a microphone? He does rather mumble. Anyone else think MJF now looks a bit like Mark Hamill?
