Comments on: Review: ‘Mary And Martha’ Starring Hilary Swank Plays Like A Dramatized Charity Infomercial

By: Ayo

Ayo — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:45 +0000

Sorry, I meant to writing that symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea could lead to dehydration, especially in children.

By: Ayo

Ayo — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:45 +0000

I watched this movie today and as an African who has had malaria several times, I completely agree with this review. It is not biased, it is on point. I would go as far as to say the movie is a ridiculous one that insults Africans and sheds no light on malaria whatsoever. The writer should stick to what he knows best – writing romantic English comedies which, by the way, he writes with an American audience in mind.

For Africans, malaria is the equivalent influenza. The fact that so many people die from it is a result of poor healthcare facilities and poor education on the disease, mostly in rural areas and poor urban neighborhoods where people resort to natural remedies. They die mostly from the symptoms of malaria, such as high temperatures, which can lead to convulsions, and vomiting, which can lead to diarrhea. Also, a simple case of malaria can very quickly get complicated, for instance if it results in cerebral malaria.

If you've ever had malaria, you develop some degree of immunity to the disease, though there are different strains of the disease and some are more difficult to treat. For now, if you want to prevent malaria, you spray your house, sleep under a net if necessary and take anti-malaria pills.

Malaria is no joke but I personally found influenza harder to cope with and it took me longer to recover. I cannot imagine a film that depicts America as a dangerous place for Africans to visit because of influenza. It would be laughed at. But somehow, this ridiculous BBC movie is now being shown on HBO.

Forget the cliched scenes like the bus ride and singing children, what annoyed me the most was the writer's failure in the first five minutes of the film to make it clear what country in Africa his characters were. Hilary Swank just kept saying they were in Africa, as if Africa were the game reserve they were in. Imagine her in London talking about being in Europe? How stupid would she sound?

They were in South Africa! And quite frankly there was no reason to be shocked that they could get pizza there! They had Internet access for heaven's sake!

By: Teresa

Teresa — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:45 +0000

Good movie, important topic, and bad review full of biases. Obviously an environmental lefty defending her religion.

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:45 +0000

I have to agree with Mr. Jagernauth, this movie was transparently manipulative and way too much about poor, sad, pretty, rich white-lady, Hillary Swank (Mary). I particulalry loathed the scene where the tragically "enlightened" Mary confronts her superficial friend about her trivial car problems. I hated every white person in this movie, except for Martha and Ben, because they were all such entitled, self involved a-holes. Yes, malaria kills hundreds of thousands of people on a yearly basis and is totally a cause worth fighting, but these gross, rich white people don't care until one of their own has died. Then it becomes THE issue to fight for. It's not as if serious poverty issues don't exist across town from Mary's house in Virginia. Mary is exactly the sort of person that I can't relate to nor want to. In the end this movie is all about Mary and malaria is just a prop to make her seem noble and not an excessive, American glutton. Yuck.

By: BadReview

BadReview — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:45 +0000

This is a bad review. And by that, I mean the author's tone and completely negative attitude. This review, to me, appears to be centered around a need to show people how cleverly critical you can be. However I didn't find any of your comments clever or even remotely interesting. And it shows you are singularly a detractor, which is cowardly and lazy. Find another job, is my suggestion. Your writing stinks worse than your attitude.

By: BadReview

BadReview — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:45 +0000

By: BadReview

BadReview — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:45 +0000

By: oogle monster

oogle monster — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:45 +0000

Is it time we take one of her Oscars back and give it to Annette Benning for… everything? Or Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine? Or Carey Mulligan for An Education? Or just give the damn thing to Charlize b/c she deserves a second Oscar for Young Adult.

By: swanksta

swanksta — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:45 +0000

Hilary Swank has always been bad. oooo she looks like a boy in this movie, give her an Oscar.

Also, with a name like hers why did she not just do her thing in porn?

By: Alan B

Alan B — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:45 +0000

… but, but, but Noyce's film features Frank Grillo who is THE MOST EXCITING ACTOR OF HIS AND ANY GENERATION. Don't you understand that Grillo embodies EVERYTHING THAT IS EXCITING ABOUT EVERYTHING AND YOU CAN'T CRITICIZE ANYTHING THAT IS REMOTELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE GREAT ONE?

By: Look at the bigger picture

Look at the bigger picture — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:08:44 +0000

This movie does make the point that until someone is affected by something terrible do they actually care about it. That's how change happens and people become aware of malaria. People like Hilary's character are the one's with money and the one's who have the power to actually get change. They have the real vocies. It sucks but is true. People with money don't want to watch a movie about real Africans suffering from malaria (harsh I know but the reality) they want to see people they can relate to and then they will help the cause/the fight. So in reality this is a good movie and smart premise. There are worse movies and regardless of personal opinions it does help shed light on a very preventable disease. As a "movie critic" you should be smart enough to make that point and realize that instead of being an arrogant a-hole you look at the bigger picture. It might be a sad truth but at least the writer of the movie understood it enough and I would bet this movie did touch some people with money and they donated and became more involved in the fight. The only thing criticized that should have been was them making fun of the food, that was rude of the movie.