Decoding Annie Parker

I recently had the opportunity of seeing Decoding Annie Parker at a charity benefit screening. It's a heart felt, inspirational movie about the journey of a cancer survivor and the scientist who discovered the gene mutation responsible for hereditary breast cancer. (The same gene mutation Angelina Jolie has). A tough subject handled deftly by the film maker. The story is an accurate and truthful depiction of a cancer patient's journey and had the audience both laughing and crying and eventually left them feeling uplifted and hopeful. No melodrama here. The acting performances were superb especially those of Samantha Morton who plays the cancer survivor and Aaron Paul who plays her husband. Helen Hunt was as always terrific. Rashida Jones was great too. Kudos to the film makers for making a movie on this subject which has unfortunately effected too many families.

The film was inspired by the real life stories of the two women from the same timeline who had no connections, except theirs involvement with something. That means there are two sets of stories that's told one after another in parts which covered the events from nearly the three decades. So it all begins in the 1960, where two little sisters promise to each other about something, but 10 years later one of their's life changed forever when another one dies of cancer. So this is the story where the other sister begins her fight against the disease that took her family away.

This is a small budget film that shot entirely within a month of time. There are lots of actresses in this, even for the small roles. I thought Helen Hunt would lead the narration, but then there were Maggie Grace, Alice Eve, Aaron Paul and others. Great dedications by all, but this was Samantha Morton's film.

I did not know what this story is about when I decided to watch, but I'm pretty happy for the film. Except the material was more a documentary suitable kind, especially the story of Helen Hunt's character. Moreover feels like it is a short film with a decent story. I think it is worth a watch because of unfolding an important scientific discovery of our time. So a big yes on that perspective, but entertainment wise it is just an average. Now you can decide this on what you're seeking.

7/10

"Decoding Annie Parker" is a low-budget movie based on the stories of two remarkable women: Annie Parker, a woman that fought her three cancers with courage; and the geneticist Mary Claire King, who believed breast cancer would have a hereditary basis and researched cancer for decades with her team. The intentions are great; Samantha Morton has top-notch performance, but the screenplay is tiresome and vague. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Unidas pela Vida" ("United by Life")

This film has it all! Humorous, heart-touching, authentic performances of the real life struggles of genius geneticist Dr. Mary-Claire King in her tireless efforts to find the genetic link in breast and ovarian cancer--the BRCA gene--and Canadian Annie Parker, a young woman who must face one of the greatest fears of all women. Samantha Morton's portrayal of Annie Parker is brilliant, heart-felt and sometimes, painfully real.

I've seen the movie three times, and each time I get more from it. Helen Hunt's performance of Dr. King is right on target, and the entire cast adds even more depth, warmth and personality to this important work. Steven & Adam Bernstein's script, Steven's direction, excellent cinematography, and an all-star cast combine to create a film that is exploding the awareness of people around the world in a way that both entertains and educates.

On top of that, this movie is changing lives every day. Audiences are giving it standing ovations, and for the next several months at least, the producers have authorized charitable screenings of the movie to raise awareness and funds for breast and ovarian cancer research and patient support. It couldn't be any better! CONGRATULATIONS to all involved.

The subject matter is quite heavy but is told with sincerity and real-person humor. The title may seem a trifle misleading since the contact between Annie and the researcher is tangential at best -- they meet only once. The the "decoding" goes beyond finding and sequencing the BRCA1 gene. We witness the unwrapping of emotions and the development of a life-fulfilling spirit in Annie and many of the people to whom she is connected. Some relationships work, other don't, but at its core the film remains true to its belief in Annie's undying spirit. The only negative that keeps my review from being a 10 is that a few of the scenes in which the finding the BRCA1 gene proceeds are stiff and almost formulaic, in stark contrast to the reality of the rest of the film. Go see it and you will be talking about it to many of your friends.