In today’s culture we see a lot of
cheesy love stories that just make us sick to our stomachs and we just want to
turn it off not even ten minutes into the film. Really none of the love stories we see on the
screen today haven’t really take our hearts and breathes away because they aren’t
true or just always the happy ever after with prince charming being perfect with
no flaws.
In
Edward Zwick’s film Love and Other Drugs, based on a book “Hard Sell:
The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman” by Jamie Reidy; tells a story about a young
cocky drug rep, Jamie (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), who befriends a woman,
Maggie (played by Anne Hathaway), who suffers from Parkinson’s disease. Together
their relationship grows, surprising both of them and makes them fall in love
with each other. This film deals with dealing and living with someone who has a
disease or has been through a lot in their lives, what scares them of being in
love and most of all keep that love and working with it.
When the audience first sees Maggie with her
side effects to Parkinson’s disease, she tries to hide from everyone especially
Jamie. Throughout the film we get to see Maggie change and have her see what
she is scared of, what she can’t do anymore, it is heart breaking to see Maggie
go through this disease and the effects it has on her. At first, Jamie didn’t
see a problem with the Parkinson’s disease and thinks it can cured. But with
spending more time with Maggie he gets to see her good days and also bad days
with this disease.
Jamie
thinks he can help Maggie with her disease but it scares both of them. In the
film the audience sees Jamie, a cocky young man in his late twenties flirting
and having sex with different women; only caring about himself and no one else.
Maggie changes that for him which scares him at first. People have told him to get away from her as
fast as he can and find someone who is health. Maggie is scared to be loved and
have someone take care of her because she feels that it’s not fair to whoever
loves her to take care of her more than she can take care of them.
In
this film, the audience gets to see these two characters grow together and even
fight for each other to stay in love and work it out. It touches the audience
in a way you can’t describe because a lot people haven’t felt that way and don’t
know if they can do that for someone. Some other audience members feel that way
and have to deal with difficult things in their lives and loving that person
the way Jamie and Maggie love each other.
Even
though film has it flaws sometimes but it does send a powerful message of love
is the best medicine for anything. Love and Other Drugs is a true love story
that can make or break audience member’s hearts and makes them realize that no
matter who you are and what you’ve been through, there is always going to be
someone to love you for who you are.
Now
this is for me to let you all know why I watched this movie: I met a woman who
I didn’t realize when I first met her was in a car accident that damaged her
back and her brain. I thought she was okay and she would get better with time.
But I didn’t know what was in store for me when I started to date this woman
and having to see her on her good days and bad days. I remember one time, I had
to pick her up from her parent’s bed when she was hurting so bad and carrying
her to her bedroom. It was heart breaking for me at first but I knew this is
what she had to go through. I had people tell me to run away and find someone
who didn’t have these flaws. But really, I have never met someone so joyful and
full of love even though she has been through hell and back. I’m happy to say I’ve
been with this amazing woman for almost three years now and I am marrying her
next year. This film talk to me, even though it’s not the same thing my fiancée
is going through but I’ve been through what Jamie has been through with Maggie
and in the end it all works out and you accept that person who they and love
them for what they give you.
