‘How To Die In Oregon’ – Beyond Emotional Doc About Legal Suicide [Sundance Review]
By Germain Lussier/Feb. 1, 2011 5:00 am EST
Which is fine because the bulk of the film is spent with Cody Curtis, a mother of two with terminal liver cancer, who is one of the most courageous, brave and strong women even filmed. She – like other people who’ve made this decision – knows that she’s going to die and just wants to do it on her own terms. Create her own closures, say her peace. At the end of their lives, when bodies don’t let people function normally, this is the one final decision they can make. This way they can say their goodbyes and forgo all the pain.
We spend time with Curtis and her family as they come to the decision, struggle with the decision, discuss the repercussions and much, much more. The Curtis’s give incredible access to Richardson and his crew and by the end of the film, I literally almost wanted to walk out. Not because I was offended, but because I didn’t think I could watch what was about to happen. I cared too much about these people. Thankfully, the film handles the inevitable with a real sense of class and respect both for the family and the audience.
How To Die In Oregon is difficult to watch. It’s also deeply rewarding and well-deserving of the accolades it received.
/Film Rating: 9 out of 10
