Coração e Alma

Katell Quillévéré's film 'Heal the Living' takes a look at the modern miracle of organ transplants; and the grim truth that the best source of donor material is often the otherwise undamaged body of someone unfortunate enough to die of sudden, localised shock. We see the personal stories of the families of the dead, and the potentially revitalised; we also get glimpses of the medical staff. Their situations are nicely realised, with humanity but without melodrama; however, there's a little too much emotional music to tell us that this is a life or death story in case for any reason we have failed to notice. I like it, but Kieslowski would have done it better in an hour.

This is a film about hearts, but not in the way films usually treat this subject. It's not about lonely hearts, or hearts on fire, or hearts going out to someone, but real hearts. The powerful muscle that pumps blood through the body. I can't remember ever having seen a heart, but in 'Réparer les vivants' it's shown in all its glory. It looks quite different than I thought it would, by the way.

The story is simple. A car crash leaves seventeen year old Simon brain dead, and his devastated parents decide his organs can be transplanted. Because of this decision Claire, a mother of two boys Simon's age, is saved from a certain death.

The events are shown as they are. We see the grief of Simon's parents when they hear of his fate. We see their doubts about the organ transplant. We see how difficult it is for the doctor to inform them about the possibilities of organ donation. We see Claire's reluctance to receive a new heart. We understand why she doesn't want to tell her son what is going on. We also see the concentration of the medical team during the two operations - one to remove the heart and one to replace it.

In the film, the emotions speak for themselves. They are powerful enough not to need any additional effects. No side stories, no cheap metaphors, no heavy dialogue spelling it all out. For example, we never hear how Simon's parents come to their decision. We see them grieve together, and then tell the doctor they agree.

The last part of the film, showing the operations, is very powerful. Director Katell Quillévéré shows it in an almost documentary style. The transplant centre where hearts, livers and lungs are being distributed as if they were ordinary merchandise, the ice box in which the heart is transported (by a small airplane) and the operation itself, which gives the viewer a unique view into the human body.

'Reparer les vivants' is not a tearjerker in the traditional way: there are no cheap emotional effects. But it's full of genuine emotions, beautifully filmed, which might have a tear inducing effect.

If this film had been made in Hollywood it would have vomit inducing. Because it's french it's anything but. A simple story, told without sentiment, but so poignant and real. All the characters are like people you almost know, with hints about them and their lives even of the smaller parts. The technical aspects of the medical procedures are twinned with the real care and involvement of the staff. There is a great scene where a nurse is ticked off by her superior but stands her ground and he backs off. Somehow that was thrilling. It's also about people trying to control their lives, not what others want. In the end it's so life enhancing without any soppiness. What a treat!

Based on the novel of the same name, this French film was unique in many ways. Firstly, it was an awareness film. An awareness about the organ donations. In this medical revolution world, all we need is a little support. A support to our own species who are suffering. Not to waste our precious organs after the death. But it's not all about the deaths, the natural death. There are many reasons for death to happen, but not always the organs are the reason. So it can be transplanted to live on in another body, giving a chance of life. Sometimes, there were sentiments involved. Not because of the love and care shown to those particular persons by their family and friends, but because of unexpected event puts them into such position, where they all can only hope for something miracle.

It was like hundred minute long film, but for every 10-15 minutes, it changes focus from people to places and situations. So there's no one particular character the film to follow entirely. All were pieces of the individual's story that in a way connected. This surely a much need film. Because of the story design, especially being organ transplant/donation related theme, they wanted to avoid the emotions as much as possible. Since it's always happy at one side and sad on the other, which might discourage the idea of what this film trying to highlight.

A teenager who met with an accident in now treated in the hospital. But it is not a good news for his beloved ones. Literally, he's dead, though kept alive by machines. This is not those kind of coma, we have had seen in the films. The parents have to make a quick decision about what the doctors had suggested to them that is to donate the organs to whom needed them most. On the other side of the tale, a middle aged woman with heart trouble has her own opinion about heart transplant. But she needs to be there for her two young sons. In the meantime, with all the developments, the narration heads to the final segment, where tense moments arise till the final scene.

❝Maybe my time has come. My heart will stop. That's nature.❞

I'm surprised that recently I've watched tons of films directed by women. It's really a good sign. Because stories from women's perspective can flourish in the coming generation, similar to the equal rights revolution happed a century ago in the western world. Considering that, it was a bit late to pick up the pace in filmdom. Not all the directresses make romantic or commercial chic films. Take Kathryn Bigelow as an example, she makes lots better men films than many male filmmakers today. This one was a gender neutral films. I've never seen other flicks from this maker, but seems she's young and very potential, that I want her to make a big entry into Hollywood as well.

The details in the film were astonishing. I usually not good at bloods. I avoid hospitals till it becomes a must. What I saw in the final quarter of the film was totally something. Like something I watched in a health channel. Of course it was staged, but very realistic presentation or you could say the demonstration was breathtaking. A few weeks ago in one of my reviews I've mentioned a doctor turned director made a film about his former profession. That was a simple rural based drama. The outside struggle. But this one, take us to the deep into the doctors' the other side of the world. I meant the surgery. I have seen many films like this, but none of them were edgy as this one. A perfect ending for such a film too.

So, the film might be a bit under-rated, but it was a much better film than many of the recent ones. It might be under-noticed, but that's because of lack of interest in such themed film among common people. Definitely not because of anything defect in the film. The critics have given thumbs up, so do I. But remember that the film has a story, not entirely about what mostly I've mentioned in most of other paragraphs. So expect less from it and be patience for its slow narration. There's nothing like what I've enjoyed you would enjoy it too. Just give it a try, it is totally worth.

8/10

I cannot write a full review, because I stopped watching after noticing that the movie was wasting my time. Most of the time I saw people walk, drive, or do nothing, which did not in the least contribute to the story.

Apparently the movie makers had to do that to stretch the story, which could perhaps have been told in 20 minutes, to movie length.

The movie might be good to watch for people who only rarely watch movies or for old people who are still used to very slow story development from the old days. Today this movie is just impertinent.