the immortal life of henrietta lacks movie review

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Serving as yet another example of a storyteller stealing focus from the story she’s trying to tell, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” primarily tracks Rebecca Skloot (Byrne), who wrote the book on which the movie is based, instead of Lacks or her family. If the film pushes Henrietta to the edges, it is at least to make room for a performance from Winfrey that tells us all there is to know about the damage that loss, lies and injustice can do to a child, to an adult, to a family and to a society. The Immortal Life is too abridged and disorderly to reveal very much. Oprah Winfrey plays Deborah Lacks who was the daughter of Henrietta Lacks, the woman who contributed -- without her knowledge -- the first immortal cell line to science. Real-life tearjerker shows how lies hurt, truth heals. Copyright © Fandango. The resulting film is moving and accessible, but it offers no absolution. Thank you for your support. That the upbeat ending is found in the white woman’s story rather than the black daughter’s only exacerbates the misplaced focus, but there are issues before that. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! All rights reserved. Powerful, intense film about Boston church abuse scandal. But Winfrey's performance, as Henrietta's tormented youngest daughter, Deborah, is jump-off-the-screen terrific. A few strong swear words used once: "f--k," "bitch," "ass. Skeptical because of all the times the family has been lied to or had information withheld about their mom from the white-dominated medical profession, Deborah and her family cautiously cooperate with Skloot to put the pieces of their mom's life and medical puzzle back together. Since her death in 1951, Henrietta's cells (called HeLa cells) … Byrne is as solid as ever, and “House of Cards” favorite Reg E. Cathey stops by to provide additional gravitas, but the cast can’t quite make up for the idea that “Henrietta Lacks” feels like a misplaced movie. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a good movie with a great performance. She eventually asks Henrietta's daughter Deborah to help her research Henrietta's life as she prepares to write the book on the subject. Alas, t’is not to be. Another family member is shown later with a baseball bat threatening to kill the perpetrators. Get full reviews, ratings, and advice delivered weekly to your inbox. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Stay on top of the latest film news! Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Powerful docudrama is for mature viewers. You will be redirected back to your article in, Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. This Article is related to: Television and tagged Oprah Winfrey, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, TV Reviews. Parents need to know that The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a drama based on the best-selling, non-fiction book of the same name. When they get together, there’s an awkward period when Deborah has to feel out Skloot’s motivations, and, for a moment, the film feels like it’s ready to take us down a more dangerous path than its light jazz soundtrack and boilerplate biopic structuring foretells. She was a sister and mother who died way too young, and did more for the world after she died than she ever could have imagined. By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy With such a unique, decades-long story, perhaps it’s only appropriate that it’s going to take more than one movie before we … All rights reserved. ‘Chicago 7’ Vs. the World: How Aaron Sorkin’s Awards-Friendly Epic Jolted a Strange Awards Season, NYFF Director Eugene Hernandez Explains the Rollercoaster Ride to Programming a Film Festival Without Theaters, How the Academy’s Inclusion Rules Speak to the Challenges Faced by the Film Industry, Introducing ‘Deep Dive’: Damon Lindelof and His Team Go Behind the Scenes of ‘Watchmen’, ‘Succession’: How Editing Helps Every Dinner Scene Come to Life — Deep Dive, Becoming Hooded Justice: The ‘Watchmen’ Craft Team Analyzes the Emotional, Pivotal Scene – Deep Dive, 40 Must-See New Movies to See This Fall Season, The Best Movies Eligible for the 2021 Oscars Right Now, Jessie Buckley Won’t Explain ‘Ending Things,’ but She Will Reveal What Terrified Her Most. Racism. © Common Sense Media. Don't have an account? The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks has a vision that is as richly loving as it is clear-eyed about the racist sins that continue to dog us as a culture and a nation. She first contacts Deborah Lacks (Winfrey), a woman in her 50s who desperately wants to learn more about her mother. Since her death in 1951, Henrietta's cells (called HeLa cells) have been used in research that has contributed to many major medical breakthroughs. Henrietta Lacks was a mortal. It would’ve made for a great episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” — maybe even a week-long series — but it struggles to carry the needed effect as a film. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is Rebecca Skloot's debut biography about the woman whose cells have led to numerous scientific breakthroughs, without her consent.Explore a character analysis of her daughter Deborah Lacks,plot summary, and important quotes. Be the first to review this title. This tear-jerking story of an unsung hero is just as good (even better in some ways) than the best-selling book. What to Watch, Read, and Play While Your Kids Are Stuck Indoors, Common Sense Selections for family entertainment, Stoke kids' love of reading with great summer stories, Teachers: Find the best edtech tools for your classroom with in-depth expert reviews, 7 consejos para criar niños bilingües usando los medios y la tecnología, Wide Open School: recursos para el aprendizaje a distancia. and the Terms and Policies, Winfrey delivers a performance that's on another level. The star rating reflects overall quality. Sign up here. Compelling but uneven dramedy has swearing, drinking, more. Venice Film Festival What to Watch Now Movie Reviews TV Reviews Roundtables Podcasts 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks': TV Review 9:10 AM PDT 4/17/2017 by Keith Uhlich “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” premieres Saturday, April 22 at 8 p.m. on HBO. When Skloot tells Deborah that "there isn't a person alive who hasn't benefited from your mother's cells," one can feel the sad irony in Deborah's mix of pride in her mom and anger that many members of the Lacks family struggled financially and with health issues. Classism. Journalist Rebecca Skloot, played by Rose Byrne, asks Deborah for help to research Henrietta's life for a book she's writing about the woman who unknowingly contributed so much to modern medicine. Talk to your kid about how Rebecca Skloot had to use empathy throughout her reporting. Searching for streaming and purchasing options ... Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. That might be a viable option if the “Henrietta Lacks” emotional core wasn’t built on rage, but — as is admirably encapsulated in Winfrey’s performance — there’s too much suffering here to settle for complacency. Renee Elise Goldsberry's portrayal of the young Henrietta Lacks shows the vibrant life of a woman history tried to forget, but who was as full of life and caring for others in her lifetime as her cells remain to this day. The film awkwardly and cumbersomely arrives at its revelations. The movie contains a few strong swear words used once ("f--k," "bitch," "ass"), and brief but disturbing depictions of childhood physical and sexual abuse. All rights reserved. Our ratings are based on child development best practices. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). The world does not need the white gaze on the black family ever again in film (or otherwise). Ninety minutes on the origins of the so-called HeLa cell line sound about as dramatically inviting as a teeth-cleaning. Imagine having to endure the emotional labor of seeing your own story told, without the comfort of knowing that you control it or enjoying compensation for it either. This incredible true story, medical mystery, and family drama shows how fascinating, damaging, and anger-provoking the injustices of history can be. In the midst of all the wrongs, however, the uplifting parts of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks show that healing can happen in any situation, no matter how complicated. Wondering if The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is OK for your kids? Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! ", Parents and caregivers: Set limits for violence and more with Plus. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks will resonate with audiences as a story of major loss and finding something worthwhile to hold onto despite it. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Ask your teen: Is there a story that fascinates you so much that you'd be willing to spend months of your time and energy uncovering more about it? Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. In a largely restrained turn, Winfrey covers a wide emotional spectrum: We see Deborah at limited highs and limitless lows without it ever feeling like the actress is pushing beyond the moment (for, say, an Emmy). If so, why? Get resources from Wide Open School, Online Playdates, Game Nights, and Other Ways to Socialize at a Distance, Keeping Kids Motivated for Online Learning, Set limits for violence and more with Plus, STEM: Apps, TV, and More for Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math, Great Movies with African American Characters, 5 Tips to Make Family Movie Night a Success. “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” does its most good by bringing the full name back to HeLa. Chronicling the legal but unethical theft of a black woman’s cells by white doctors, the film proves to be more concerned with finding a happy ending than discussing how the systemic nature of America’s racial rift has adversely affected a family, if not generations of families. Skloot was fascinated by the origin of the famous research HeLa (from HEnrietta LAcks) cells in college. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks has a vision that is as richly loving as it is clear-eyed about the racist sins that continue to dog us as a … The perspective is off, but so too is the format: This is a story that Winfrey will knock out of the park in interviews and on the awards circuit, more so than the film can accomplish on its own. Real-life tear-jerker shows how lies hurt, truth heals. Henrietta never saw any money for her “donation,” and this fact, combined with the erasure of her identity, bred a deep distrust of the medical community, authority figures, and people in general within her children. We meet Skloot, a name so quirky you need to remind yourself this is a true story every time you hear it, in 1999 when she starts pursuing her book idea, and it’s through Skloot we come to know Henrietta Lacks, a woman who walked into a hospital in 1951 for treatment and, unbeknownst to her, proceeded to aid in “every major medical breakthrough” of the next 50 years. ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ Review: Oprah Winfrey Dominates an HBO Film Told From the Wrong Perspective An upsetting … Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Midway through the movie, Deborah’s protective nature becomes too much for Skloot, and she yells at her, “If you don’t trust me after everything we’ve been through, you can go fuck yourself!” Both characters retreat to think about what’s been said, but the onus is placed on Deborah to apologize for her defensive position, despite the plot revolving around white people in power taking advantage of her family. Deborah’s so pained by the quest and frustrated by her failure that she suffers a stroke just before Skloot can make contact.

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