I saw and fell in love with TRANSFATTY LIVES at Tribeca. I love Patrick Sean O'Brien's giving the finger to the disease that's killing him. The film rightly ended up winning an Audience Award . With in the critical community it was well loved as well.
With the film opening in Los Angeles & On Demand tomorrow the 20th (it opens in New York Christmas day) I'm reposting my Tribeca review. The film touched me deeply and it contains some of my favorite writing of the year.
I also want to point you to Hubert's excellent piece cinematic letter films that played at Tribeca where he talks extensively about the film. It can be found here.
Patrick Sean O'Brien, aka the Transfatty of the title, was diagnosed with ALS, aka Lou Gerhig's disease, aka the same thing that Stephen Hawking has, in 2005 and was given 2 to 5 years to live. Ten years later he is unveiling his autobiographical film as a way to explain to his young son who he is and what he's going through.
Say what you will about Patrick O'Brien he is not one to go into that good night without having the ambulance blasting Black Sabbath. Where other people might get their affairs in order he kept on going, making films, writing on his blog, and oh yea, fathering a child he adores.
The film that we have been gifted with is O'Brien's ballsy warts and all FUCK YOU to the disease that is slowly killing him and a wet kiss with full on tongue to the life he refuses to leave. If you ever wanted to know what it's like to have a disease that would keep you trapped in your body fully aware of everything this is it.
This isn't so much a document of his life but of his mental space- this is how he feels and what he thinks. Its a moving, over powering kick to the nuts. You can not help but be moved by the story. This film will make it damn difficult for you ever again to say you have a tough life or you hate your situation. How can you bitch and complain when someone like Patrick O'Brien is still fighting the good fight despite being trapped in his body.
I don't know what else to say other than its a must see film
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