I watched "Safe" purely because my Mother suffers from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity which is the illness that Carol suffers in the movie. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is a real and extremely debilitating illness that causes the sufferers to react to even the smallest exposures to perfumes, pesticides, car fumes and many other chemicals found in modern life. I watched the movie with an intimate knowledge of the condition and direct experience of the isolation, pain and suffering is causes.
Overall the movie did present many of the key components of the condition such as the confusion that Carol felt when she first started feeling unwell, the reactions that gradually got worse with repeated exposures, the misunderstanding and intolerance of family, friends and medical community; and the need to find a safe haven. However, I realized that whilst the symptoms and problems associated were quite clear to me, they would have probably been almost completely lost on some viewers (especially in the first thirty minutes of the film which was slow going).
That said, "Safe" is the only movie I know that does address MCS and was obviously well researched as the details in the movie were very close to the mark right down to the fact that people were using reading boxes at the retreat.
I found that the emotional side of the characters were brushed over and not really accurately portrayed. The emotions were represented in a cold way and while this might have been the intension of the director, I feel that the movie could have had much more impact than it otherwise did. The isolation, the physical pain and the confusion that MCS causes the sufferer and the family is much more dramatic than what is portrayed.
In summary, the movie is quite accurate in the detail and it was easy for me to identify with the many different circumstances presented. I found myself saying "yes" and nodding knowingly a lot during the film. It really did follow the journey of someone suffering from MCS and gave a sense of hopelessness that does unfortunately often result.
Overall the movie did present many of the key components of the condition such as the confusion that Carol felt when she first started feeling unwell, the reactions that gradually got worse with repeated exposures, the misunderstanding and intolerance of family, friends and medical community; and the need to find a safe haven. However, I realized that whilst the symptoms and problems associated were quite clear to me, they would have probably been almost completely lost on some viewers (especially in the first thirty minutes of the film which was slow going).
That said, "Safe" is the only movie I know that does address MCS and was obviously well researched as the details in the movie were very close to the mark right down to the fact that people were using reading boxes at the retreat.
I found that the emotional side of the characters were brushed over and not really accurately portrayed. The emotions were represented in a cold way and while this might have been the intension of the director, I feel that the movie could have had much more impact than it otherwise did. The isolation, the physical pain and the confusion that MCS causes the sufferer and the family is much more dramatic than what is portrayed.
In summary, the movie is quite accurate in the detail and it was easy for me to identify with the many different circumstances presented. I found myself saying "yes" and nodding knowingly a lot during the film. It really did follow the journey of someone suffering from MCS and gave a sense of hopelessness that does unfortunately often result.