“Love Simple” Review: A Difficult Job Well Done

How do you tell the story about a disease as mysterious and complicated as Lupus and the story of a person who suffers from Lupus in 85 minutes? I have this disease and I do not know if I would be able to accomplish this difficult task. Even in a 3-hour long movie, most elements of this disease would have to be left out. Mark von Sternberg (Writer/Director) decided to tackle this daunting topic in the movie Love Simple and succeeded.

When you are faced with limited time and a limited budget, you need to make choices. Especially when dealing with a disease as complicated and multifaceted as Lupus. The face of Lupus Mark decided to tackle in Love Simple was that of fear and anger. And for that, I have to thank Mark.

When I sat down to watch Love Simple in preparation for my interview with Patrizia Hernandez, I thought one of two things would happen. I would either find the movie to be good and think Mark got it right or I would be hugely disappointed by cliché and inaccuracies. To say the movie was good would be a bit of an understatement. I was pleasantly surprised by just how good the movie was. Judging by the trailer, I knew that part of the movie would mirror my own life. I did not expect the mirror to be so accurate. Especially as no two Lupus sufferers are the same.

Without giving away any spoilers, every thing from relationships leaving; a family’s refusal to accept the disease; the fear and anger surrounding relationships (both platonic and romantic); the fight for others to accept the disease without seeing you for the disease, even so it shapes a big part of your life; are things I have and continue to struggle with. This movie demonstrates these struggles in a way that imitates how I personally try to deal with it. And that is through balance. Love Simple balances many qualities of this disease through elements such as dialogue, object placement and cinematography, which are both in your face yet subtle at the same time. And it is real!

More of my thoughts on this movie can be heard in my interview with lead female actress, Patrizia Hernandez (Seta). However, I would be remiss if I did not thank Mark. This movie is sorely needed. Love Simple is a huge gift, not only for Lupus sufferers but for their families and friends, and the world. Beautifully filmed, it is the first easily accessible media piece that I have seen to actually bring real awareness to Lupus. Not only will it raise awareness but also much needed funds for treatment and research. And as important as these things are, in my personal opinion, there is an even bigger gift.

This movie allows Lupus sufferers to be angry. It validates a feeling that often times leaves one to feel guilty for having. In a society that tends to give us messages that anger and other “negative” emotions are “bad” instead of teaching us how to transform those emotions into something positive, Love Simple makes those feeling safe. Love Simple not only makes it safe to admit you are feeling them but makes it safe to tell others you are feeling them and why. It could have been very easy to write Seta as a victim. Instead, Mark wrote her as a survivor and a fighter who, just like every one else one the planet, has moments of vulnerability.

Thank you Mark for showing us that it is okay to be vulnerable, angry and afraid. That exhibiting these qualities does not make you weak. That talking about these feelings and facing them head on makes you stronger than you will ever know. Hopefully, as more people see this movie, they will start to use their own voices and speak about this most difficult aspect of living with Lupus.

(click image for full size)

I urge everyone to purchase and watch this movie regardless if you yourself live with Lupus, know someone with Lupus and of course, if you have no idea what Lupus is. It may not be as close to your own story as it is mine, but I am sure you will benefit from it just the same. And so will many others. In my personal opinion, this is most definitely a must see.

You can listen and download my interview with Patrizia Hernandez here. Please take the time to do so. Much more important information is covered in the interview. Starting today until June 21, 2010, 30% from the sales of Lupus Simple will be donated to the SLE Lupus Foundation. After June 21, 2010, 10% of sales will go to the SLE Lupus Foundation. More information can be found here.

You can find Love Simple on Facebook here. You can follow Love Simple on Twitter@lovesimplemovie.

(if the video on the right bleeds through the images, scroll the page)

About the Author

Jules

I never know what to say in this about me sections/bios. I am a mother, geek, gamer, tech enthusiast, radio personality, actor, artist, dancer, crafter, writer, music fanatic, science fiction nut, lover of the great outdoors, and so much more.