LORENZO'S OIL is an interesting film for a few reasons. First, it's based on a true story and second, the director George Miller (MAD MAX) used to be a medical doctor, so this project was probably personal for him in a way that his others weren't. Before someone gets the wrong idea, I do think this is a good film. All of the performances were realistically done, the technical details are all artfully done, and the story itself is highly inspirational. That being said, the film is a bit hard to sit through since you are relentlessly bombarded with scene after scene of a child struggling for his life against a disease that (at the time) wasn't fully understood. There was also a steep learning curve when it came to all of the medical terminology that gets tossed around, although there was some attempt to explain the more fundamental concepts related to the disease at the center of the story. And what a disease! Lorenzo Odone was diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a disease that affects how certain fatty acids are processed and leads to serious neurological problems. Keeping in mind that George Miller is a former doctor, the narrative unfolds and is presented in a very clinical fashion, with an acute focus on time. To its detriment, occasionally this bleeds over into the emotional impact of what is happening on screen. While it might be hard not to be moved by much of what is shown and discussed, there was a preparedness and calculation which undermined the more emotional moments (for me, at least). And about a third of the way into the film, after seeing scene after scene of suffering and hearing several cues of Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, I just became numb. All of that aside, I thought the film brought up some very important points of discussion, such as how slow the medical establishment moves and the role of compassion in medical care. There are several scenes in which parents of ALD children are pitted against the foundation and doctors simply because they feel things aren't moving fast enough. Still, as the film makes quite clear, there are proper procedures and protocols to be followed. despite the maverick efforts of the Odones to find a cure/treatment for their son's illness at all costs. Hopefully, the less scientifically inclined won't take this film as evidence that parents can just do what they want willy-nilly without regard for established science. To their credit, the Odones did their own research and worked with scientists to develop the titular oil that helped to save their boy's life. Thematically, I think the film's main message can be summed up in the opening quote which, summarized, basically says that living is struggle while the end result is up to a higher power. Maybe the film hammers this a little too hard, what with endless soundtrack cues of choral and symphonic music, but the idea that science and faith don't necessarily have to be diametrically opposed is a compelling one. There are certainly other issues/topics which are touched upon, but I feel like I've covered the most significant ones. While it isn't a perfect movie, and is shameless in its emotional manipulation, in the end it is an uplifting story that I can easily recommend. Just be aware that the journey though it isn't easy.
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