Educational Media Reviews Online

Dominic Silva and SJ Wright’s film Original Body of Pain is a quietly intense look at the impacts of drug addiction on the lives of two young mothers in North Carolina. The increasing prevalence of opiate (and other) addictions in the United States makes the topic of this film a timely one. Rather than taking a wide view of the issue, however, this film focuses on individuals, allowing us an intimate look into several peoples’ lives and experiences sans judgement.

The strength of this documentary is the manner in which it presents a snapshot of some causes and effects of opiate addiction by allowing those impacted to speak for themselves. Filmmakers Sila and Wright do not interject themselves into the narrative; they instead allow the women to speak honestly about their own experiences. Viewers who start this documentary thinking they have a clear-cut understanding and/or opinions on the issue of drug addiction (particularly mothers who use) may well leave with a more nuanced perspective.

The film intercuts scenes of daily life with interviews to grant us a glimpse of the complexities and challenges that addiction presents in these women’s lives. Woven in between are interviews with a home health nurse and other health care professionals who are on the front lines of caring for drug addicted mothers and their babies. The honesty with which the women speak about the problems that stem from their addictions (as well as the causes) is sometimes jarring. They are acutely aware of the destructive cycle of which they are a part. The tragedy lies in the manner in which that self-knowledge struggles to translate into positive action, despite strong desire and good intentions.

Using establishing location shots to good effect, the filmmakers provide an ‘everyday’ feeling that makes the people and situations relatable. The film would have benefited from more timestamping or other signifiers of time’s progress, as it was sometimes difficult to gauge the intervals between clips. However, they indicate at the beginning that the events occur over the course of a year.

Original Body of Pain will be a good selection for courses in public health, social work, nursing, psychology, and criminal justice. The intimate narrative and slice of life approach provide a rare insight into a nuanced and difficult topic. Recommended.

Awards:
Official Selection Riverrun International Film Festival; Official Selection Reel Recovery Film Festival

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