GLEASON is an Uplifting and Heartbreaking Story of Never Giving Up — Sundance Review
I normally don't see a lot of documentaries at Sundance, but I had some free time on my hands this year and decided to check out one called Gleason. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into, but wow! This film tells an incredible and inspiring story — a story that needs to be seen by everyone.
Gleason was quite an emotional journey, and tears were shed all throughout the theater. The doc follows the harrowing journey of Steve Gleason, a former NFL defensive back for the New Orleans Saints who was diagnosed with ALS after he retired at the age of 34. The doctors only gave him two to five years to live, and he is making sure to live his life to its fullest for his wife, his son, his family, and his friends.
After he found out he had ALS, he started shooting a series of video journals addressed to his unborn son. He wanted his son to know who his father was before ALS completely took away his ability to move and speak. Through these video journals, we follow Gleason in this new stage of his life and witness his deterioration brought on by the disease. It's incredibly hard to watch, especially when he really vents his frustrations to his unborn child.
The whole time Steve seems to have this glowing positive attitude of how precious life is, but many times the weight of what he is going through really bears down on him...but the guy just doesn't give up! He's pushing himself to live and to help try and make the world a better place in the process. Of course there no way he would be able to do this without the help of his wife. She is by his side every step of the way to help Steve through everything, even when things get insanely hard.
Over the years, he has set up charities and organizations to help improve the lives of those who have also been diagnosed with ALS. By pushing through and living his life to his fullest, he's inspired and helped so many people to do the same.
For me, the movie resonated as a story about fathers and sons. Not only is Steve trying to help guide his own son through life with these videos he's made, but he is also using it as an opportunity to get closer with his own dad. The two don't always see eye to eye on things and there is a lot of tension and frustration between them, but they work through their differences and find common ground to form a stronger bond with each other.
This is such a powerful movie of hope and perseverance. It hard to watch and times and it's incredibly sad, but it's also incredibly uplifting that shows you that there is some amazingly good positivity in the world.