But it shouldn't be written off completely because of that.
It's a very one-dimensional story really which isn't shy in it's aim of trying to get every last member of the audience crying their eyes out before it's over. So one thing it isn't, is subtle. If the first remission won't get you, the third one will.
However, the first post-chemotherapy scene is quite harrowing and the hand held camera-work as Julia Roberts dashes from room to room after him as he shouts and vomits all over the place, is very well done. But then the film gets far too silky from there - instead of a realistic portrayal of a leukemia sufferer, we get a worthless romance with the illness somewhat slotted in the background. Can't somebody tell these people that there are enough romance films out there, and I for one would have much preferred a progression of the cancer storyline and it's impact on him - however uncomfortable that may have been, I just think it would've been a lot more worthwhile.
If they had done that, maybe the film would be remembered and respected more than 10 years after it's release - rather than a film hardly anybody's even heard of.
Quite a disappointment, I'd give it 4/5 out of 10.
It's a very one-dimensional story really which isn't shy in it's aim of trying to get every last member of the audience crying their eyes out before it's over. So one thing it isn't, is subtle. If the first remission won't get you, the third one will.
However, the first post-chemotherapy scene is quite harrowing and the hand held camera-work as Julia Roberts dashes from room to room after him as he shouts and vomits all over the place, is very well done. But then the film gets far too silky from there - instead of a realistic portrayal of a leukemia sufferer, we get a worthless romance with the illness somewhat slotted in the background. Can't somebody tell these people that there are enough romance films out there, and I for one would have much preferred a progression of the cancer storyline and it's impact on him - however uncomfortable that may have been, I just think it would've been a lot more worthwhile.
If they had done that, maybe the film would be remembered and respected more than 10 years after it's release - rather than a film hardly anybody's even heard of.
Quite a disappointment, I'd give it 4/5 out of 10.