Two Weeks (2006)

Poignant Film

I was very touched by this film. I was so taken with the superb acting, the appropriate choice of actors for each part, that it was only on second viewing that I caught that one actor has a tint of a British accent. His ability to mutter 'mom' in such a heartwarming way overpowered any hint of an accent. I am buying this film so that someday my own four children may see it and appreciate the fact that, despite my flaws as a mother, I did my best and loved them with all my heart, as did the character in the film, played by Sally Field. want my own children to hear her character's words of wisdom, interspersed with the humor necessary to survive life's experiences. Anyone who does not appreciate this film, has not been a mother and has not experienced what it is like to have a mother become ill. The person who can not appreciate this film has yet to discover life's pitfalls. This film accurately portrays the multiplicity of emotions that occur: the sadness, the horror at the reality of illness, the inevitable need for humor, the warmth that nevertheless surfaces in a family crisis, and the frustration of meshing the invariable differences in personality. I think this is one film that should be viewed by all. May 23, 2008

I Love You, Mom

"In the deathbed drama "Two Weeks," Sally Field creates an agonizing portrait of Anita Bergman, a middle-aged American every woman in the final stages of ovarian cancer. As her four children and their families descend on the home in North Carolina that she shares with her second husband, Jim (James Murtaugh), the movie squarely confronts the physical realities of dying." Stephen Holden

Dr Ira Byock, Director of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center's Palliative Care Service, is a physician I have worked with many times with my patient population. In his book The Four Things That Matter Most' the four simple phrases that matter the most -- ""Please forgive me,"" "I forgive you,"" ""Thank you,"" and ""I love you"" -- carry enormous power. In many ways, they contain the most powerful words in our language. Help us to forgive, appreciate, love, and celebrate one another more fully. These words are the essence of this film 'Two Weeks". Sally Field is extraordinary in this film as the mother who is dying of ovarian cancer. Her four children all come home to stand vigil. None of them really know what they are in for. Ben Chaplin plays the older son from California. A recovering alcoholic, drug addict, we are not privy to much inside info, he is into Zen and withholding his emotions. Sister, Julianne Nicholson, leads the troops with knowledge from books and the love she has for her mother. Tim Cavanaugh plays the middle child, the most reliable and the least ready to face the death of his mother. The youngest child, Glenn Howerton, is he ever really there, has the most obnoxious wife. Here they are watching their mom, vomit daily and vomiting stool, cleaning the body and cleaning the bed. After a while the daily ritual becomes a routine manner. Mom, Sally Fields has taped her last words. Some are trite and some are true, are they necessary? Mom seems to be prepared and the best that she has is her family and a Hospice Nurse, who knows exactly what to do. Pain medication, care and love and advice are what the Hospice group to best. They are necessary and wouldn't it be swell if every dying person had the benefit of Hospice.

The writer/director, Steve Stockman, has written a film after his own experience. His mother died several years ago and his experiences are explored fully. Fully developed characters are what is missing from this film . We know they are the children but not who and what they are. Little snippets come through at times, but who are these people we are to care about.

This is a lovely film about dying, but we need to know more. I want to care about these people, I did care about Mom. She was heroic and loving and just the mom you want and want to be. I love you, mom.

Recommended. prisrob 05-18-08

Eye for an Eye (1995) May 18, 2008

Seemed more like a "docu-drama"

This movie did not entertain & though it's main premise deals with death it did not evoke any emotion from me. Hence, why I think it had that docu-drama feel to it. That being said I think it does have some redeeming quality to a family in a similar situation struggling to care for a dying parent. This is an accurate portrayal showing the stages of a terminal disease with both the physical & emotional pain that is endured.
It is the true story of writer/director Steven Stockman's mom who died in 1997 of cancer. How he & his siblings deal with death in different ways as their differing personalities dictate & how they fumble through it.(like we all do)
Also of interest is the audio commentary by Stockman & Dr.Ira Byock(the author of "Dying well").Though I fast forwarded through most of this I found this to be more interesting than the movie because of the anedotal insights from the writer & helpful information from Dr.Byock. Also included is an extra feature "learning to live through dying".
For everyone else I don't think this movie would hold much interest & be of little entertainment value.
I gave this movie a "2" for my lack of interest in it, but would give it a higher rating for those who can relate to it & might be able to learn something from it. March 20, 2008

Real, funny, sad

I rented this moving, after much debate. I lost both my Mother and Father(within two months of each other) both to cancer. This movie helped...it was real, the people in the movie showed what it is like closer to almost any other movie. The humor is apart of that, so is the bitterness, sadness, and pain. It was all there. It was there when you have to watch your parent slowly go away, it is there dealing with old crap with your siblings, it is there dealing with hospice, the white van, the box, and the things that you take for granted daily.
This movie showed us what it is really like, it may be messy at points, it may be sad, difficult to watch at points, but it is true to life.
March 7, 2008

A difficult topic, well done

I watched this movie the night before last and have been mulling it over ever since. It certainly presented a frank and realistic picture of death and dying. Sally Field, as Anita, was outstanding in the main role...not mawkish or self-pitying, but both angry and resigned by turns as she moves thru the final days of her life.

The movie portrays her four adult children whose conflicts do not disappear despite their mother's imminent demise. In fact, their differences probably become more apparent. Accusations fly, old battles are fought, they get angry at others for what they are doing or not doing. This brought back so many memories of my mother's final weeks, when one of my siblings did absolutely nothing to help.

The grown daughter, Emily, faces her fears with volumes of self-help books while some of her brothers bury their heads in the sand. This was also typical of my family (I was the one reading the books, BTW).

I would only hope that every patient could have the kind of gentle hospice care in her home that Anita had in this movie.

Worth viewing, IMO. Good performances all around. February 6, 2008

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