Farrah's Story

Farrah's Story (2009)

** (out of 4)

Documentary is more like a video diary of Farrah Fawcett's as she fights cancer. The documentary starts off in 2006 when Farrah was first diagnosed with the disease and follows her for the next two years as it went into remission only to come back. This is a rather hard film to judge because on one hand you want to stand up and cheer Fawcett for her bravery in deadly with her deadly disease but on the other hand this film just isn't very good. The movie is so depressing and at times hard to watch that you can't really hate it. We see a lot of ugly visuals, which is what cancer is all about. Seeing it happen to someone like Fawcett gives people a reason to watch the film but at the same time I kept asking myself why on Earth would this thing be released. I'm sure Fawcett wants to inspire and help people, which she is certainly doing but I still don't quite understand the need to show her missing her hair, throwing up or going through various, painful operations. Again, God bless her heart and courage but the quality of the film isn't too good. The thing seems thrown together without too much thought of what it's trying to do. Ryan O'Neil plays a big part in the film as does her Charlie's Angels co-stars. O'Neil is incredibly emotional throughout the documentary so this too is hard to watch. I'm really not sure who to recommend this film to because it's just too depressing to enjoy in any way.

American actress Farrah Fawcett is diagnosed in 2006 with anal cancer. She rallies nearly a year later after seeking treatment overseas, but the reemergence of tumors in her liver makes the prognosis ultimately grim. What is anal cancer, how does it start? What's the difference between colon cancer and anal cancer...or rectal cancer? This documentary, filmed completely with hand-held devices, doesn't clue us in on the mysteries of the disease. Yes, it is insidious and sneaky--and unfair--but we don't get much information from the doctors. Still, the task here is to show Fawcett's struggle, and her bravery is admirable under intense circumstances (I don't think I could have made it through the needle-based operation which treats the liver). Fawcett proves to have a playful side in the face of adversity, throwing snowballs in Germany with her friend Alana Stewart or blowing out the candles on her birthday cake served by her doctors and pals. Her positive demeanor takes a huge hit upon learning that a special cancer treatment now being performed at UCLA did not work for her, and one sees clearly how hope and faith can only take a person so far (our fates lie helplessly in the hands of others: doctors, certainly, but mostly the Man upstairs). This television special doesn't hint at an underlying issue (that people without money, or celebrity, are not privy to the European advances in medicine that movie stars are, they cannot afford the treatments and pills and visits). The privileges that Fawcett has earned do prolong her life, and that extra time on Earth is indeed precious, yet "Farrah's Story" does make one think about all those others who were not even this fortunate.

I think that those who watch this, if you have never had the unfortunate experience of watching a loved one suffer through treatments for cancer, this will paint a very jarring picture. Seeing Farrah without her trademark locks reminded me of my Aunt who ended up shaving her head as well when it starting falling out from chemo. Farrah in all her fragility is a fighter. And to see her lifelong partner Ryan O'Neal - this is clearly a man who is trying to put on a brave front and is scared as hell to live one day without her. To put your body through so many different types of treatments leaving you sick and in pain and yet still having the will to keep moving forward is something to be admired. Not only that, but to document the process is equally brave. I'm not sure I would want cameras rolling with a puke bucket in front of me. Hopefully this documentary will serve to continue to raise awareness for all types of cancer. My aunt passed away after a 10 1/2 year battle with breast cancer this past Christmas. I only hope Farrah's family and friends take up the cause and continue to fight the good fight.

You are missed by so many I will cherish all the memories I have of you from the first time I saw you and Charlie's angels. You have come full circle and you are once again an angel for all of us.

You might think this story would be depressing, but it's really just the opposite. Don't get me wrong-I shed a few tears, but Farrah's philosophy is uplifting. It is an emotional roller-coaster, but ultimately it is life-affirming. She teaches us that every moment of life and love is precious. What an incredibly brave, and responsible act to make this movie of a persons cancer tribulation. Certainly it comes at her expense, but this is what film should be. It slaps mindless dreck in the face with it's noble purpose. Of course, having "star power" is one of the reasons why this documentary is being aired, but that's a responsible use of one's power when one has it. It really made me think about my life and how important the people in it are to me - and, how I should act more loving and tenderly towards them. Make every moment count, and don't stop fighting to survive ! Kudos to all involved in this amazing film. Robert