Decoding Annie Parker

"Decoding Annie Parker" is a low-budget movie based on the stories of two remarkable women: Annie Parker, a woman that fought her three cancers with courage; and the geneticist Mary Claire King, who believed breast cancer would have a hereditary basis and researched cancer for decades with her team. The intentions are great; Samantha Morton has top-notch performance, but the screenplay is tiresome and vague. My vote is six. Title (Brazil): "Unidas pela Vida" ("United by Life")

Somewhere buried in this film is a story worth telling. Unfortunately it cannot fight its way through the unfortunate directing efforts. Samantha Morton, as Annie Parker, demonstrates formidable acting skills and deserves, on the basis of this production alone, to receive wider acclaim and challenging roles. Annie Parker's story is both appealing and important, an engaging tale of a woman with humour and determination, prepared to take on the world and the medical establishment to prove her point that cancer can be and often is the product of a genetic flaw. It changed not only the medical profession's view of the disease, but altered our own, and she fills the role of a hero (heroine) in making her case. Helen Hunt, as the scientist who confirm's Parker's suspicions, is more than adequate, but this is Samantha Morton's vehicle. All well and good, but stories need to be told well to make an impact, and in movies this falls on the shoulders of the director, former cameraman Steve Bernstein. Bernstein may know how to handle apertures but he sure can't handle actors - not when it comes to telling a story without employing a car load of clichés, both visual and literary (he and his con collaborated on a screenplay - one more example of why the chore of writing and directing should be separated.) In the hands of a Sarah Polley or someone with her insight and sensitivity, this could have been a wonderful moving and educational tale. In Bernstein's hands it's more like a high-priced episode of As The World Turns (the star is for Ms Morton's work).

What a great movie about a difficult subject. The writer and actors/actresses did an incredible job depicting a cancer survivor's journey with compassion, humor, and empathy. While heart wrenching at times, I believe it accurately depicted what it must be like to endure such a horrible disease and how it impacts their family and loved ones. I had the opportunity to see this movie at a charity screening. So afterwards, the audience was able to hear from both Annie Parker herself and the director/writer, Steven Bernstein. What an incredible duo they make filled with absolute passion! Annie is an amazing woman who will inspire all those who see this film. She is a woman of character, tenacity, strength, perseverance, intellect, and is all heart. And Steven the writer is someone who takes his trade very seriously. It took him 7 years to make this film with its own story line of barely having enough funds to pay the actors and complete the film. I have recommended it to friends and family to see when it is available. Well done, BRAVO! Wishing you all the best of luck in any of your future endeavors!!

I had the marvelous opportunity of viewing this film during a premiere in Ambler, PA, outside of Philadelphia. It follows both heroines, Annie Parker and Dr. Marie-Claire King. Both know in their soul that there is a link among family members who have had breast cancer. Both have an indomitable spirit. The director films this not as a documentary but in a style that has you relating to both women and their supporters. It is poignant, funny, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching and lovely. I laughed, I cried, I empathized. If I could give more than 10 stars I would! Annie Parker in the film is so much like the the woman is in reality. I was also impressed with the portrayal of Dr. King whom I have also met. I highly recommend everyone seeing this so as to understand that family history is just one part of why we get cancer. But is so very important. Start a family tree. If you see a pattern, get to a Genetic Counselor to find out if there's a need for testing. Dr. King has only scratched the surface of this link between genetics and cancer. Get educated and most of all, pay it forward. You never know when you will touch someone and save a life!

Had the privilege to review this film last night at an Asheville, NC fundraiser. Simply put, the film was remarkable - a unique combination of education and entertainment. The juxtaposition of the personal, challenging and heartfelt story of Annie Parker with the relentless pursuit of science and discovery by Mary-Claire King was inspirational and amazing. Broad distribution of this film is a must - both for movie-going audiences, for survivors, for previvors and for everyone who has ever loved, laughed and sustained. Kudos!

A really heartfelt, funny, informative movie about a women's story of surviving cancer three times, a cheating husband (with her best friend), subsequent divorce and the loss of her mother, father and sister while fighting for answers in a male dominated world. It's almost too hard to believe it's real but Annie Parker was present at the move and I was able to meet the real LIFE Marshall. Helen hunt plays an amazing Mary-Claire King. I was surprised at the cast!!! The movie does a really good job of tracking how some people (Mary-Claire King and Annie Parker) thought that certain breast cancers were genetic in spite of many nay-sayers who did not agree with that position at the time. Hurray to Mark-Claire King for pushing for this discovery.

Director Steven Bernstein's feature debut, which he co-wrote with his son Adam Bernstein and physician Dr. Michael Moss, is based on two true stories and weaves together the fifteen year journeys of two women both struggling to overcome insuperable odds. Annie Parker (Samantha Morton) is on intimate terms with breast cancer, having watched both her mother and sister succumb to it. When she herself is diagnosed with the cruel disease, she bravely struggles to hold herself and her family together, displaying a force of will that contradicts the odds. Meanwhile, geneticist Dr. Mary-Claire King (Helen Hunt) is researching the hereditary link between DNA and breast cancer, a process that finds her scrambling for both funding and the support of her disbelieving colleagues. How the paths of these two women intersect is funny, irreverent, and heartwarming without sentimentality or melodrama. Bernstein, both in his direction and writing, deftly balances the seriousness of the situation with the all too human response, finding unpredictable grace notes of beauty and wit during even the darkest of times. Featuring award worthy performances by Morton, Hunt, and an equally impressive supporting cast including Aaron Paul, Rashida Jones, Alice Eve, Bradley Whitford, and Maggie Grace, Bernstein's film pays tribute to one of the most important scientific discoveries of the 20th century as well as the people forever changed in its wake.

Decoding Annie Parker is an amazing film that not only touches your heart with the core message of breast cancer awareness, but shows us our history of how far we have come in research and medicine to change the face of breast cancer. This amazing combo of Dr. Mary-Claire King's incredible non-stop life work research and with Annie Parker's brave untouchable determination and amazing spirit, they both shines through this truly master piece of a film for a resounding feeling of HOPE. It took a very serious sensitive topic and showed us the humanistic view of it all. We are people ... it could happen to any of us ... how wonderful is the human spirit when we work together and help each other! We can make a difference! Every person, no matter who you are, we have the ability to make a difference. Hats off and bravo to the amazing director Steven Bernstein for this labor of love and remarkable devotion to this project! More films like this should be produced! Such a great job everyone. What a fantastic actor/actress cast on this film! Helen Hunt just shines with a perfect recap of Dr. King. Samantha Morton was a true star as the warrior that Annie Parker really is. Rashida Jones was fantastic as always - love her BRAVE acting abilities! Aaron Paul was a classic perfect rocker fit! Take away point: A MUST SEE THIS MOVIE!!! Tell everyone you know to watch it!

Decoding Annie Parker will make you laugh, move you to tears, inspire, excite, challenge and change you. Most of all this movie helps every one of us appreciate the value of each day and power of living each day to its fullest. The movie tells the remarkable story of two women's perseverance and determination to follow their hearts and their hunches, leading eventually to one of the breakthrough medical discoveries of of our generation. Samantha Morton and Helen Hunt are terrific...Morton is Oscar worthy for her portrayal of Annie Parker. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew for producing one of the most impactful, enjoyable, joyful and moving movies in decades.

After attending the premiere of this newly introduced movie in Boise, Idaho, I new simply by the applause at the end that it did indeed, triumph! Steven Bernstein's 6 years in the making of this film,has certainly created a rouse. A rouse of the meticulous journey that cancer can take on one's soul. He spared no details in capturing the viewpoints of the victims and the victor. The victor, Annie Parker, who was played so delicately, so raw, and ever so convincingly by Samantha Morton, was and will always be one of my favorite "stand-out" performances by an actress. She so exquisitely captured cancer's journey which can be summarized by a simple quote from George C. Scott, "The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it." Being that this is the first review that I have taken time to write, I'm am very pleased, dare I say proud too, that it is for this movie. And, although it is a review with a few small paragraphs, I hope that it is enough to convince any and all that Decoding Annie Parker is truly a "Must-See!"