Gleason

Having been a New Orleans Saints Fan since 1973 I can honestly say that Who-Dats (Saints Fans) live and die by the New Orleans Saints. Watching the events of Katrina unfold, and the rebuilding of the SuperDome one could only, as a Saints Fan hope for a good season. What I am saying is there is always a unique excitement around anything New Orleans. When Steve blocked that punt against The Saints most bitter rival the Falcons for a touchdown I let out a yell that could have shattered glass. Finding out Steve was diagnosed with ALS did shatter that glass.

Now my unbiased review of "Gleason". Thank You Steve and Michel for this open look into the life of someone with ALS. Taking the time to document and experience travel, or bucket list, and live the best you can while you can. Even larger continuing to genuinely give of yourself for others. Best of all, giving to your family. All the while the disease progressing and deteriorating a bodies ability to function.

Watching the transformation of Steve is very tough, and at times unnerving. Observing Steve and Michel's unwavering honesty is gut wrenching. Reflecting on just how much they both have accomplished through this ordeal is remarkable.

Gleason is a clear eyed and excellently presented documentary.

This documentary really does reaffirm life and registers in a big way. Thanks to all the Gleason friends and family for sharing this with us.

I walked out of the cinema and made sure to take an extra look around at the sky itself and took a loooooong deep breath and remembered to thank God for ALL the big things in life. As anyone that has gone through anything like this with a loved one knows, there are NO small things in life. Everything is large and larger. The ability to walk, talk, think, breathe and live pain free are nothing to be taken for granted. This documentary perfectly reminds you of that and makes any other problems seem insignificant by comparison.

I was moved by the depth they cared to share with us from the humbling and frustrating person hygiene issues to matters of faith. Watching Steve bare and carry this HEAVY cross and watching him and those around him suffer is certainly uncomfortable but also awe inspiring. As he stated, his soul is indeed saved and his sacrifice and true pain on every level being recorded is a testament to that salvation and his impact on others. What a terrible and sad cross to bare.

Same certainly can be said for his amazing and lovely wife, Michel. She may not want to be labeled as a saint but how else to describe her strength? She's as far way from "dick-face" as it gets! ;) Their journey and strength should make us all want to be better people and live stronger lives.

Just like a good sports movie should be (Weather it's a documentary or not) Gleason is very upbeat and makes you feel bad about not getting up off your ass to do something with your life.

What I like especially about the film is Steve Gleason's positive tempo. He's a fighter and you can tell. The documentary keeps tabs on the amount of time Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is taking to effect his body. For a while I did not really notice that anything was changing, it was not until others in the documentary pointed things out, that I realized the effect it was taking.

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Keeping an uptempo as he watched from a chair his son growing up was hard on him, so there were times when he broke down and that's understandable, cause he's human, that is the reason he was making this documentary, to show his son what type of man he is, and the best part is that he broke down but didn't break. He picked himself up and kept going.

Same goes for his wife. She's a strong beautiful woman, who was going through it the same as him, and it was hard for her to keep it together but she's going strong. You can't help but to tear up a little over that.

It's an inspirational story about what can happen if you never give up on life, and a touching story of a father making a connection with his son.

I went into this movie never before hearing the name Steve Gleason (shame on me), and only knew what I read in the reviews. I figured it would be sad, but I was not at all prepared for what this documentary entailed. From the very beginning, I fell in love with both Steve and his wife Michel. Both were very likable and brutally honest and I appreciate that.

This documentary was one of the most powerful pieces of work I have ever seen on film. From the very beginning, you knew it was going to be a roller coaster, but nothing prepares you for the love, determination, heartbreak, devastation and unthinkable circumstances that Steve and those around him have to endure. It was hard to watch, yet captivating at the same time. I simply can not imagine having a terminal illness such as ALS, or watching someone that I love go through what this man and his family have gone through.

Yet as heartbreaking as it was to watch, I was amazed at how they managed to somehow keep their sense of humor. The movie was laugh out loud at parts and gave you a very up close and personal view of what happens to a human when their body fails them.

I can not say enough about this movie. It was very powerful and will stay with me for a long time. I think it is important to show films such as this to bring education, awareness and support to such important issues. This film managed to show you the real grit of marriages, parenting, health/illnesses, family, faith, and football.

"Gleason" (2016 release; 110 min.) is a documentary about Steve Gleason, the former New Orleans Saint defensive back and special team player. As the movie opens, Gleason talks into the camera, explaining he want to make video blogs, "to share while I can". After that, we go back in time when we see Gleason excel at Washington State and then the Saints, retiring in 2008. We then go straight to the heart of the matter: it's January, 2011 and Steve is diagnosed with ACL, better known at Lou Gehrig's disease. Shortly thereafter, we learn that Steve's wife Michel is pregnant with the couple's first child.

Couple of comments: let me state upfront that I was not familiar with Steve Gleason, and unless you are a Saints fan, I'm guessing many of you are not either. But when I saw the trailer of this movie some weeks ago, I just knew I had to come watch this. Beware: the movie is not for the faint of heart! it throws an emotional gut punch at you, as we discover what it's like to live with ACl, and to see how a once healthy man's body steadily worsens--while his mind stays sharp, creating enormous frustration at times for Gleason. The movie does not look away either when very difficult moments arrive (check out the confrontations, yes plural, between Steve and his father). But in the end the movie is also very inspirational, as we see Steve persevere, helped with unwavering support by Michel and others. Several Pearl Jam members appear in the movie, and Steve's interview of PJ front man Eddie Vedder is priceless. In another one of his video blogs, Steve says "it's not going to be easy but it's going to be awesome". And that captures the movie right there.

"Gleason" made quite a splash when it premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival, and Amazon Studios promptly bought it. It recently had a one week run at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and the Wednesday early evening screening where I saw it at was sadly not attended very well. I sure hope that this movie will find a wider audience in distribution channels outside of traditional theaters. If you are in the mood for an emotional taxing but inspirational documentary about life with ACL, you cannot go wrong with this. Just make sure you have plenty of paper napkins handy... "Gleason" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!