Breathe 2017

     This film is based on the true story of Robin and Diana Cavendish.  Robin and Diana have been married about two years and they’re having a baby.  Before the baby is born, Robin is struck down by polio at the age of 28.  He’s confined to a hospital bed and it’s thought he only has a few months to live.  Diana‘s twin brothers Bloggs and David Blacker install a breathing machine for Robin to live at home.  Robin had wanted to die but now he’s feeling hope. Teddy Hall designed and built the Cavendish wheelchair that contains a breathing machine.  Robin is able to get out into the world, they travel, raise their son Jonathan and devote their lives to helping other polio patients.

     Not much film time is given to what Robin is thinking?  There are the moments when he thinks Diana is wasting her time with him but what does he think about the life he’s living.  We know he’s glad to be out of the hospital and he wants other paralyzed people to also have this opportunity.  There is one incident where the breathing machine is accidentally unplugged.  Would this be a constant worry for him?  3* (This movie is OK)

118 min, Bio directed by Andy Serkis with Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Hugh Bonneville, Ed Speleers, Tom Hollander David Butler, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Miranda Raison, Camilla Rutherford, Andre Jacobs, Terry Norton, Charles Streeter, Penny Downie, Amit Shah, Johathan Hyde.

Note:  Imdb 7.1 out of 10, 66% critic 71% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 2*, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 24 reviews, Metacritic 29 out of 100 with 51 critics 6.6 out of 10 with 23 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed at Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, UK and Hluhluw, South Africa.  Teddy Hall used his own money to design three wheelchairs.  His grandfather discovered the largest lump of gold to be found at this time in Australia.  The debut film of Director Andy Serkis, his business partner and friend is Jonathan Cavendish the son of Robin and Diana.  At the age of 83 years old, Diana Cavendish was present during much of the filming.  Some scenes were filmed at Royal Air Force Benson.