Whose Life Is It Anyway?

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Trailer—Whose Life Is It Anyway?

Whose Life Is It Anyway?

SPOILER AHEAD. The ending is important to understand. Given the choice to end his life voluntarily, he can now relax and enjoy whatever time he chooses to keep on living despite the paralysis below his neck. In countries where patients can choose to end what they consider an intolerable existence with a handy pill of some kind, they can sit back and possibly enjoy life again because now they can control the moment of non-existence. Reminds me of the Zen question: who were you before you were born or even conceived. My thoughts on this: dying is simply a return to the state of nothingness there was before I was conceived. Of course others believe in some kind of reincarnation. But that is another matter.

This film is simply as close to perfect as I'd ever want a movie to be. The entire cast is impeccable. Even Khaki Hunter (the Porky's movies) gives a wonderful performance. Richard Dreyfuss is amazing. He gives his most complete performance while only able to use his head. Bob Balaban, as a stuttering attorney is amusing. Christine Lahti and Janet Eilber make you want to cry. The only thing wrong with this movie is that it had an ending. It didn't need one. We could have been left to ponder the enormous question, right along with the judge, as the credits rolled.

This film is not even about life or death it is about power and is especially relevant these days what with the Oregon Death With Dignity Law controversy. It is a well-done film that masterfully lays out the issues involved. It is also a well-told story and in my book, that is the prime requirement for a good film.

I am a great fan of Richard Dreyfuss. This, by far, is his best role. I am in healthcare and this movie handles the issue of dying with dignity and quality of life with brilliance. I really wish everyone would watch this great movie.

This film may well deal with a taboo area of medicine which of course is patients control over their own death. The film deals with a very morbid subject area without descending into difficult viewing.Richard Dreyfuss's delivers a continum of comedy while not betraying the feeling of hopelessness felt by his character. Other than great dialogue and acting the film leaves the viewer questioning common sense notions of the rightieusness (probably spelt wrong sorry) of medical professionals as well as acknowledging the reality that the institution of medicine is a new religion that dictates its own values on the less powerful subjects in its claws (claws is too much isn't it). Great film!!!

This film is among the best of all time. I've seldom seen a movie in which all actors -- from the star to the smallest bit player -- deliver such forceful, realistic performances. I felt as if I were actually in that hospital room with Ken Harrison et al. While the film, which is about a sculpture who becomes a quadriplegic in a car accident and then decides to die rather than live life in that condition, has a seemingly depressing plot line, it is actually uplifting. Richard Dreyfus has the remarkable ability to infuse the main character with humor as well as sadness. It is a tribute to the director, writers, and actors that this movie, which could have easily been a maudlin weepy, turned out to be a paean to the indomitable human spirit.

Years before Dr. Kevorkian brought the right to die into the national spotlight and made it a subject of public debate, Richard Dreyfuss's magnificent performance and Brian Clark's wonderful screenplay made the most cogent and realistic fictional argument I've seen on the issue. Dreyfuss is, without a doubt, a stellar performer -- in everything from "The Goodbye Girl" to "Mr. Holland's Opus," he consistently excels, but watching this movie again, I was flabbergasted by his ability. Using nothing but his head, he managed to evoke a stunning range of emotions. In my opinion, this is one of the better movies made in the last twenty years of the twentieth century.