Lorenzo’s Oil Movie Review Lorenzo’s Oil is a true to life story of a boy named Lorenzo, son of Augusto and Michaela Odone. In 1984, Lorenzo was diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), which is a rare inherited disease. ALD is a progressive degenerative myelin disorder, meaning that Myelin, the “insulation” around nerves breaks down over time. The doctors predicted that Lorenzo will no longer live that long because of his sickness, and he will die at the age of two or three. Augusto and Michaela didn’t accept easily their child’s case, and this is the beginning of their journey and mission to find a treatment for ALD.
Augusto and Michaela Odone wanted their child to live longer, so they talked to a lot of doctors, scientists, support groups, etc. to learn more about ALD and to find a way to cure it or alleviate the condition. Even though they consulted all of these, they still think that the data which they’ve gathered from those professionals is still not enough. This is why they’ve decided to conduct a research about ALD themselves. They spent their time at the medical library, reviewed different experiments from the past, and they even did a few experiments and diagrams.
There was a time when Augusto fell asleep while studying and even in his sleep, he dreamt about ALD. Lorenzo’s parents exerted great effort in their research. But this also challenged the strength of their marriage, and the limits of medicine. The parents experienced great pain every time they see their child Lorenzo suffering. There also came a time where the parents were blaming each other for their child’s condition. They also received negative comments and some people are asking, “Why do you still want your son to live? He’s suffering. They didn’t want their child to be checked in a hospital, this is why Lorenzo stays at home with his family and a nurse. There are also times wherein the parents are feeling hopeless and all they can do was cry. The Odones have been through a lot of hard work and struggles. Soon after, all their efforts paid off. They discovered that a special type of oil from a British firm can normalize the growth of very long chain fatty acids in the brain which is the trait of ALD. They shared their success and discovery to those people who have ALD.
In the ending part of the movie, they presented different people whose lives were prolonged because of Lorenzo’s Oil. The parents also received an honorary PhD for their significant contribution in the treatment of ALD. According to my research, Lorenzo survived his sickness and he is able to reach 30 years of age, which is 22 years longer than the doctors predicted. This movie was really heart-warming and moving as well. I really felt the love of the parents for their son, and despite of all the criticisms and sadness they’ve experienced, this didn’t stop them.
There are times when I’m watching the movie, I felt that I want to cry because of the scenes, and I did get emotional because it really moved me. I also admire the perseverance of the parents. Despite of their old age, they even went to a medical school just to learn more about their child sickness, which is unusual for me. Some parents usually rely on what the doctors said. So it’s quite remarkable if parents will conduct their personal research and studies for their child. For me and it’s a good movie, and worth watching.
