Lifestyles of the Poor and Unknown 2001
Distributed by Filmakers Library, 124 East 40th St., New York, New York, 10016; 212-808-4980
Produced by Nancy Fliesler
Director n/a
VHS, color, 46 min.
Adult
Health Sciences, Sociology
Date Entered: 11/09/2018
Reviewed by Sheryl Burton, Media Resource Center, Milner Library, Illinois State University, Normal, ILThis is a sweet story of a married couple who are both mildly mentally retarded. We enter the life of the couple, Marnie and Chris, as they go through typical days of work, home management and recreation.
For example, Marnie, the wife, tells of how she hates being called mentally retarded, being called "special" and being treated differently. The husband, Chris, on the other hand feels as if he fits in normally most of the time and is usually treated like everyone else.
The most effective aspect of this film was hearing the couple describe their lives and their thoughts themselves - not through a narrator. Their sincere expressions of their feelings and reactions to everyday experiences are touching and inspirational.
As I viewed this documentary I wanted to laugh at times, cry at other times, but mostly I smiled and was moved to consider the power of the human spirit. Through Marnie's conversations, we learn that mildly retarded people are caught in an in-between world. They know they are not as capable as others are, but they can often reason well and be quite articulate.
We see Marnie and Chris' rich sense of humor and how very "normal" they are in the way they laugh, love, worry and deal with life. In one segment Marnie and Chris tell the viewer what they love about each other. We later see them enjoying a normal vacation as a cute romantic song plays in the background.
Children, adults and those who work with the mentally disabled will appreciate Marnie and Chris as endearing examples of elegant spirits; good people who live good lives in a world that is normal to them.
Highly Recommended for all audiences.