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.

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

An hymn to the importance and, at the same time, fragility of life. Every single moment has been carefully planned to weaved together a multitude of strands which will only make sense at the end. Every human being play a fundamental role in the game of life: never forget that! This film is a reality check to remind us that we are here for a higher purpose even if we can't yet see it. If you are looking for an inspirational story, look no further: a must watch!

For as beautiful and sincere as this film is, it's honestly a little frustrating.

There isn't really anything to complain about concerning the presentation of the film. It looks very good, with the visual nature of certain scenes creating a sort of dream like state, which is fitting considering the meditative nature of the story. The music is fine, though I don't think it's especially memorable except for maybe a couple of instances, one of those being the jarring opening track, which frankly does not fit the tone of the film nor does it compliment the musical accompaniment for the remainder of the run time. That's no biggie though. It's just one slip up in an otherwise competent score. Of course the acting's good. You should pretty much assume that'll be the case for all good film.

So if the presentation tends to range from pretty good to spellbinding, then where does the frustration come from? The issue that I have this film is that it's difficult to really say with any certainty what exactly is intentional in it. That issue applies to not only the presentation, but the story as a whole. This might be a problem with my perception, but what I found was happening repeatedly as I watched this film was that I had to stop and ask "Why is this happening?". I don't mean to say that events in the story didn't make sense, it' not that hard to follow. What I have to wonder is, why exactly did the director choose to put certain moments in the film? What is tying it all together? The thing with meditative films, which I have no fundamental problem with, is that the lack of urgency should be supplanted with clear theme and motive from a story telling perspective. The sequence of events in a film don't all have to connect to each other via the plot, but rather via the theme.

This shouldn't come as a surprise, but I really struggled to come up with a clear thesis for how all the scenes in this film really complimented each other. The film clearly wants to be a commentary on life and death. The problem is that every film is about life and death, so that isn't really good enough for tackling this film. Too bad I can't really get any more specific without sort of just guessing at it with little confidence. The best answer I can come up with is that this film is trying to say that you can't fully appreciate life without accepting the reality of death. That doesn't sound too bad, and maybe it fits. Ultimately though, I can't formulate an answer that brings all the disparate elements of this film together in a cohesive way.

One final note which might add clarity to my lack of confidence in the direction of this film whose individual scenes are all wonderful works of art, is in the ending of this film. Naturally I'm not going into the specifics of the plot, but I should say that there is a moment in the latter half of the third act which seems to betray the spirit of the film as a meditative piece on the relationship between life and death. For the most part, this film lacks any real sense of urgency or legitimate conflict. I think that's totally acceptable in this instance, however, it is not consistent. The final sequence in this film tries to create a sort of false sense of tension which not only contradicts the rest of the presentation of the film, but which is not even believable in and of itself. There was never any point in this film where I was especially surprised by the sequence of events or felt that there was any real peril. So when the director tries to suggest it in order to satisfy a formula which doesn't even fit the type of film she's making, it sort of calls into question what else in the film was actually meant to fit in the way that I perceived.

This film is beautiful. I like it a lot, and if you haven't seen it yet then I would recommend it. Despite what I feel are some disingenuous moments, this film is born out of sincere intention and presents its subject matter with a clear mind towards honesty and integrity. Maybe after I watch it a second time I'll like it even better. Who knows.

Surgeons at work, a young ocean surfer and a middle-aged woman with a terminal ailment, collide together like erratic waves and shifting currents. The sea serves as a metaphor and transition point in this drama about diverse lives connecting, the nuances of human interaction under trying circumstances and dealing with the unexpected.

Heal the Living includes some fantastic and heart-rending scenes including; a teen racing uphill in the city to greet his love, a police escort in the night for precious medical cargo, a message to an unconscious boy and spending what may be the last moments with someone before they die.

The filmmakers deftly portray the professional nonchalance, human sensitivity (or lack thereof), amazing skillfulness and bewildering medical technology of surgeons and their assistants. The physical operations performed by the surgeons are shown in admirable and excruciating detail. I had to look away more than once. Hospital politics are delved into with doctors bickering over the limits of treating people with compassion. The film is based on Maylis de Kerangal's novel Mend the Living. According to the director at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival premiere, the author was consulted for the movie, did not always agree with certain scenes, but liked the final result. My only wish is for deeper dialogue and a faster pace at times. Wonderful imagery of surfing and the sea.