Director wanted to show disease can hit early in life

Posted: 4:02 PM Nov 18, 2010
Read Interview: http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/ent...109056869.html

Next week marks the release of “Love and Other Drugs” starring Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Edward Zwick.

Excerpt from Inteview: "EZ: I wanted to show that Parkinson’s can begin early — in this case with someone in their 20s — like my friend Michael J. Fox. He self-medicated and was in denial for a long time, and generally speaking movies focusing on a disease like this concentrate on older individuals. That it can happen to such a vital, sexually charged woman like Anne’s character I think makes it all the more poignant. Being that it is set in the mid-’90s just after the FDA removed restrictions regarding the advertising of prescription drugs on television also played into the story. We chose Viagra because it was the most obvious and recognizable, but there were many drugs advertised for other ailments that began suggesting a quick fix for everything and it affected our society in a huge way."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Jqq...eature=related

and a review from a real yopd:
Love and Other Drugs from the view of a YOPD woman..., 22 November 2010


dear all,

I have only seen the trailers of which I wept because - I have had young onset pd since being dxd'd finally in 1994, and the diagnosis was very hard to be given because at that time in medical books they only saw it as a senior citizens degenerative disease, and not a young women in her mid 20's... I do hope it shines more of a light on the bad drugs that PD patients have been given... and to dear anne hathaway - I hope she portrays her character well, and not as something less, than a women in horrid pain - trying to live despite this fatal news...peace to your hearts, love
lou_lou

Love and Other Drugs reviewed by Katey Rich

Given how consistently misleading the ads for Love and Other Drugs have been, it's hard to know what's fair to reveal about the plot. Does anyone even know that it's a movie set in the 90s? Or that it combines comedy and drama in a heady, frequently effective way? Or-- and this may be the biggest spoiler, though it's revealed in the first 20 minutes of the film-- that Anne Hathaway's character isn't just a cutie with brown ringlets, but a 26-year-old sufferer of early onset Parkinson's disease?

Full review: http://www.cinemablend.com/reviews/L...rugs-4967.html

Digger,

I think most of us who are active and informed on PD, as in getting involved in improving our situation, know that Anne Hathaway portrays a YO patient. I am thinking that I may be disappointed because the film doesn't delve into what we experience; from what I have read in reviews, critics are unsure of what the movie wants to say- is it a serious love story, romantic comedy, or "disease" movie? Critics are saying it is a hot mess because it is trying to do all of these things. I get the feeling that her PD doesn't seem to be that big a deal and that much of the time, the two stars are naked, so it's not like her character is that afflicted. lol

Either way, I plan to; see it but am bracing myself...hopefully, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

I may or may not opt to see the movie. For my two cents here... I don't get to go to the movies very often. It's very difficult to sit in one spot for over two hours as you all know. Then add to that the cost of refreshments which pushes the cost up to at least $25 per head. I don't know about anyone else but, I want and need to be entertained.
It certainly helps to get PD out there in the spotlight. If we can get enough people involved and throwing money at it, one would hope that we could at least get some better treatments... God forbid we use the "C" word. Thank you MJ for all you have done and continue to do.
I have worked as a successful entertainer most of my life but, when I look in the mirror these days... well, I'm just not very entertaining. I wouldn't pay money to see me.
The movie industry has a big heart for causes but, they also have to keep the box office afloat. So, if this movie is entertaining but perhaps doesn't show Parkinson's in it's complete picture, I'm not going to complain. I for one do not want to see a young, beautiful actress lose her voice, become bent over like a 90 year old, lose all expression in her face and have that gorgeous hair fall out in chunks... not to mention the pain, loss of sleep, tremors, etc. I can look in the mirror for that.

Check this outo - t here is even an interview with Hathaway:
http://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/201...d-other-drugs/