Thursday, December 25, 2008

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Based on a true story. Jean-Dominique Dauby wrote the book with the same title, after he suffered from a unique condition - locked-in syndrome. Where he can see and hear, but cannot speak, move or emote. It is a situation that one realises from the reaction from all concerned - family, dad, mistress, friends - that is difficult to come to terms with, especially since the high achiever that he was prior to all this. Dauby's only option is to overcome it and live life as he knows it.

He can only blink, and with the assistance of a speech therapist, he goes on to write what we eventually see - his feelings about his illness, his confusion with regards to the woman he really loves, his relationship with his father. It is amazing that his story can be captured so brilliantly on the big screen and full kudos to the director in being able to do that. As always with a film based on a true story, there are reports of the film being farther away from the truth.

Rating: * * * +