An emotional story and message from an unexpected source. A grumpy old man living in a falling-down house that is under threat from developers meets a do-gooder boy scout. This however is the opening sequence outlining his earlier life. 5 minutes conveys so much, yet it is easy to realise only later that it is wordless.
I think I must have been settling the popcorn or the children the first time I saw the movie, as I missed its power then.
Many things to read from this clip, including the suffocating burden of medical expenses, the sacrifices people make for those they care for, the carer behind the patient.
But maybe the strongest message is that even the grumpiest, or most mundane person that you meet in your clinic in a series of apparently similar patients has their own unique life story. How you come over as a clinician, and what you do or can’t do for them, can be such an important influence, and it is repeated on every life you cross.
Liking to know the back stories of your patients is often also described as an immunisation against burnout from the intensity of clinical work.
As an illustration of a central message for Medical Humanities from popular culture it is useful for introducing humanities to a new or sceptical audience. Less intimidating than poetry or classic. But a powerful opener also for those who are already won over. You may want to keep tissues to hand.
Further info
- Up is a Disney-Pixar film (movie) released in 2009. It was written by directed by Pete Docter and written by Bob Peterson with Pete Docter.
Contributed by
Neil Turner