In 2003, Jonny Kennedy finally died when his dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa gave way to terminal cancer. For the last year of his life, Jonny knew what was coming and set out to make the most of what little time was left. He moves into his own house, continues his lifelong charity work to raise awareness for others with his condition, plans his own funeral, learns to fly, visits Number 10 and has a big house warming party. During this period he is followed by a documentary film crew making a film about him.
The last few years have seen lots of documentaries getting a lot more exposure on television and cinemas than other years and I have seen as many of them as I have been able to. However none of them have impacted and moved me as much as this one did. The idea is simple a dying man with time ticking down makes himself the subject of a film as he tries to do a few things before he dies. The cynical will see a self-focused person trying to get their last shot at fame however they would be way off the mark with that view because the reality could not be further from that. In reality Jonny comes over as entirely unselfish, having suffered his entire life against a challenge that many of us would not be able to cope with. The film is focused but it also manages to paint a back story really well; so we know Jonny's work and drive to help others even though he has every excuse not to.
Being so tightly focused on Jonny means that the film succeeds or fails on the back of him and the fact that it succeeds is credit to what an inspirational character he is. He is very much a Northerner and his rough good humour and kindly nature shines through no matter what. He has a great gallows humour and it makes him all the more appealing and inspiring that, although he is clearly in pain and ready to embrace death, he can still laugh at himself and somehow managed to get through it. The film wisely makes little fuss over his death (in fact the first time we see him, he is already dead); I say wisely because the film has so much emotional impact throughout that it has no need to milk the funeral. As well as the personality, it throws up lots of interesting debate over abortion and related issues but rightly the main thing it does is move you.
Overall a film that is difficult to do justice to in words. Well, actually it is not the film that is brilliant but Jonny himself Collerton has made a good film but really the impact, the emotion and the value comes from Jonny as an inspiration man. A hard film to "enjoy" in the normal sense but an experience that will stay with you long after you have finished watching it.
The last few years have seen lots of documentaries getting a lot more exposure on television and cinemas than other years and I have seen as many of them as I have been able to. However none of them have impacted and moved me as much as this one did. The idea is simple a dying man with time ticking down makes himself the subject of a film as he tries to do a few things before he dies. The cynical will see a self-focused person trying to get their last shot at fame however they would be way off the mark with that view because the reality could not be further from that. In reality Jonny comes over as entirely unselfish, having suffered his entire life against a challenge that many of us would not be able to cope with. The film is focused but it also manages to paint a back story really well; so we know Jonny's work and drive to help others even though he has every excuse not to.
Being so tightly focused on Jonny means that the film succeeds or fails on the back of him and the fact that it succeeds is credit to what an inspirational character he is. He is very much a Northerner and his rough good humour and kindly nature shines through no matter what. He has a great gallows humour and it makes him all the more appealing and inspiring that, although he is clearly in pain and ready to embrace death, he can still laugh at himself and somehow managed to get through it. The film wisely makes little fuss over his death (in fact the first time we see him, he is already dead); I say wisely because the film has so much emotional impact throughout that it has no need to milk the funeral. As well as the personality, it throws up lots of interesting debate over abortion and related issues but rightly the main thing it does is move you.
Overall a film that is difficult to do justice to in words. Well, actually it is not the film that is brilliant but Jonny himself Collerton has made a good film but really the impact, the emotion and the value comes from Jonny as an inspiration man. A hard film to "enjoy" in the normal sense but an experience that will stay with you long after you have finished watching it.