the immortal life of henrietta lacks movie online

#THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS MOVIE ONLINE FULL#

The film starts off with good intentions, but becomes less of a tribute to Henrietta Lacks and more of a story revolved around Deborah. Although Deborah and her brothers are able to better understand more about their mother and her contribution to science by the end, there is little justice and resolve for the family. This is the only closure that the family and the viewers get. The climax of the story comes when Deborah and her younger brother go to Johns Hopkins Hospital and are able to hold their mother’s cells in their hands. Though we do get a bit more context on Henrietta’s life and the kind of person she was, we ultimately find out very little about her other than she was a nice person with a pretty smile. We learn about the abuse she endured after her mother’s death, and the negative effect Henrietta’s death had on her family as a whole. Although the journey seems to start as one of setting out to discover more about Henrietta, it ultimately becomes a story centered around Deborah and her troubled life.

Told from Rebecca’s point of view, the two unlikely pals embark on a journey to discover the many mysteries surrounding Henrietta’s life and death.Īfter spending time with Deborah and her tumultuous family, it becomes obvious that the Lacks know very little about their mother.

Deborah is distrusting at first, but Rebecca is persistent and slowly but surely is able to gain Deborah’s trust. She attempts to contact Henrietta’s only living daughter, Deborah, who is played by Oprah Winfrey. The plot itself takes place in 1999 when an ambitious and quirky reporter named Rebecca Skloot (Rose Byrne) becomes determined to tell the story of the women behind the famous HeLa cells. Though her cells became famous, the woman behind the cells was never named, and her family was never told the true story behind their mother’s immortal legacy. Henrietta eventually succumbed to the cancer, but her cells went on to help create cures for many illnesses, and sparked a multi-million dollar industry. While receiving treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, doctors discovered that her cancer cells had a unique ability that allowed them to multiply indefinitely. The film tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, who was diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer in the early 1950’s. Unfortunately, this ambitious adaptation bit off more than it could chew, and fell short in delivering all that it set out to do. The film did shed some much-needed light on a story that was kept hidden for far too long. This tear-jerking story of an unsung hero is just as good (even better in some ways) than the best-selling book.If there is one thing we learned from The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks (or should I say The Immortal Life of Oprah Winfrey), it’s that the classic saying is true: it’s all about the journey and not the destination.

#THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS MOVIE ONLINE FULL#

Renee Elise Goldsberry's portrayal of the young Henrietta Lacks shows the vibrant life of a woman history tried to forget, but who was as full of life and caring for others in her lifetime as her cells remain to this day. When Skloot tells Deborah that 'there isn't a person alive who hasn't benefited from your mother's cells,' one can feel the sad irony in Deborah's mix of pride in her mom and anger that many members of the Lacks family struggled financially and with health issues. Oprah Winfrey as Deborah Lacks brings a conviction to the now-deceased Deborah that speaks volumes to the eternal relationship between mother and child. In the midst of all the wrongs, however, the uplifting parts of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks show that healing can happen in any situation, no matter how complicated. This incredible true story, medical mystery, and family drama shows how fascinating, damaging, and anger-provoking the injustices of history can be.

The immortal life of henrietta lacks movie online