Les deux hémisphères de Lucca

This is a heart-wrenching drama that tells a true story of a family's journey to seek experimental treatment for their son Lucca, who suffers from severe pediatric cerebral palsy. The movie is based on the book The Two Hemispheres of Lucca by Barbara Anderson and follows the family's trip to India in search of a miracle cure.

As I watched this movie, I found myself deeply invested in the story of a young boy's journey with cerebral palsy. The film focuses on Lucca's treatment using the Cytotron device. I had never heard of this innovative therapy before and was fascinated by its potential to improve Lucca's condition. The film's portrayal of the treatment's effects was both poignant and thought-provoking. While the scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of Cytotron treatment for cerebral palsy is limited, the movie portrays the family's hopes and struggles as they explore this unconventional therapy.

For those unfamiliar, the Cytotron is a medical device that utilizes electromagnetic fields to treat various conditions, including cancer, inflammation, and neurological disorders. Developed by Dr. Rajah Vijay Kumar, founder of Scalene Cybernetics Limited, the Cytotron has been patented in several countries, including the US, Europe and China. It emits a specific range of electromagnetic frequencies that interact with cells and tissues, promoting healing and reducing inflammation. This non-invasive therapy is believed to stimulate cellular regeneration, modulate the immune system and enhance the body's natural healing processes.

Barbara Mori's performance as Lucca's mother is outstanding, conveying the depth of a parent's love and devotion. The entire cast delivered powerful performances, making it easy to become fully immersed in the story.

The film's pacing is somewhat uneven with few plot threads feeling rushed and underdeveloped. Despite these flaws, it is a powerful and emotional film that is worth watching for its thought-provoking theme and outstanding performances. I found a deep sense of connection to the characters' struggles and triumphs.

While the Cytotron treatment may be relatively unheard of and unconventional, the movie sparks important conversations about how promising this treatment is. This is a moving and inspiring film that sheds light on the challenges faced by families with children with special needs. A good watch. Watch Lucca's World, a Spanish film dubbed in English, available on Netflix.

All those who get emotional and cry during tear jerkers and sentimental movies will like this movie too. So they are advised to get their box of tissues and settle down.

The movie is based on the memoirs of some years back of the parents of a child afflicted with cerebral palsy who are told that there is no cure for the disease in Mexico. They then travel from Mexico to India to get their son treated after they hear about this miracle cure in India though still at an experimental stage.

All parents specially those who have been through similar experiences connected to family will relate immensely to the story and sequences. The movie keeps the emotions understated without going overboard and maybe that is its strength and highlight. It is moving, inspirational and all about the resilient nature of determined human spirit.

All credit is due to the director Mariana Chenillo and the two actors who play the parents ( Barbara Mori and Juan Pablo Medina ). The scenes are touching, heartwarming and realistic. Audiences will find themselves immersed in the emotional storyline. Most scenes relate to medical procedures in hospitals and recovery at home. Surprisingly the movie is not boring at any point and one remains absorbed throughout.

In these days of plethora of mediocre shows and movies poured on you all round the OTT space, and you browse through nonchalantly alloting not more than 10 minutes per flick, Lucca was a pleasant surprise. You connect with the true-to-life characters. However much the narration may have been manipulated to fit into movie format, it is based on a true story.

Actors did well, especially the lead. Director deserves a pat for portraying the character of Lucca so realistic.

The voiceover was outright bad prompting me to bring down the rating. Dialogues too were no match to the powerful story.

I am not sure about the medical authenticity and relevance of the highlighted treatment. But the redtape, the foulness, and the greed prevalent in the medical world incapacitating the good work of few individuals is more than true.

This film takes on a deeply emotional subject-a couple navigating the challenges of having a child with cerebral palsy after a traumatic birth. While the premise has the potential to be powerful and moving, the execution falls flat. The pacing is slow, the storytelling lacks urgency, and the characters feel distant, making it difficult to connect with their struggles.

Instead of drawing the audience into an intimate, emotional journey, the film keeps them at arm's length. The dialogues often feel unnatural, and key moments that should evoke strong emotions come across as lifeless. There is little to no character development, making it hard to invest in their hardships. The lack of nuance in the performances and direction further weakens the film's impact.

What could have been a heartfelt exploration of resilience, love, and adaptation ends up feeling uninspired and overly drawn out. It lacks both depth and intensity, leaving the story forgettable rather than thought-provoking. A subject this important deserves a much stronger and more engaging film.

You can't watch this movie without wanting to like it. It is - from the start - a movie you want to like. It screams for you to like it. Who wouldn't be drawn in, rooting for a woman who's fighting everything and everyone to get treatment for her severely disabled young son. Barbara overcomes financial challenges, medical challenges, political challenges. She works against some sleazy backroom stuff going on - all to get treatment for her son in a "cytotron" - a "miracle" medical device invented by Dr. Kumar and only found in India. You want her to succeed. You want this movie to be good. So - why does the movie feel so distant emotionally? The connection just isn't there.

I'll concede - it's a Mexican movie, and so the audio is Spanish. I chose to watch a version dubbed into English, and maybe that wasn't the wisest choice. Whoever the voice actors were - I didn't think they really captured the essence of the story. The voice acting was flat and lifeless. There was a blandness to much of the audio, and without hearing the voices of the actual cast it's hard to know whether the voice over actors were mirroring them or whether they just didn't do a very good job. If I were to watch it again (I wouldn't - that ship has sailed) I'd watch a subtitled version and listen to how the actors portrayed their characters. It might have made the experience more enjoyable.

I suppose I also have to confess to being kind of a skeptic about these kinds of stories. When I first saw the movie's description, it mentioned something about a "miracle treatment" in India - and I thought this was going to be some outlandish "faith healing from a guru" kind of story. It wasn't. The cytotron appears to be a very real medical device. But I remain skeptical. I can't find much about the cytotron online aside from promotional websites that stress how the FDA has given the cytotron a "Breakthrough Device Designation." Which sounds impressive - but what it really means is that it isn't approved. It means they're checking it out; taking a look at it. And that was back in 2019, so I can't find anything about its current status. So Lucca's story is an anecdote at best.

I'm sorry - I want this to be true. It's called a true story, it's based on a book written by the mom. If the story is true I can respect Barbara for not letting anything stop her in her quest for the best chance for her son's treatment. That's inspiring. But I have to be honest - I remain skeptical about the device, and I can't escape the feeling that this movie is basically just another piece of promotion for the device. (4/10)