Up Syndrome

Up Syndrome is one of the best (and funniest) documentaries I've seen in a long time. The subject fascinated me, and boy did it deliver. I want to applaud the hilarious and playful way director Duane Graves tackled this subject matter. So many people who haven't grown up with mentally handicapped people become very sober when you try to talk about it. The truth is some of the most funny, creative, and life-affirming people are mentally handicapped. Graves has captured that amazingly well.

I think the cutting style on the project is brilliant. The speed, the audacity of it all. Very courageous. The overall construction of the piece did wonders in hitting home all of the inner themes. Everything, no matter how insignificant, had a payoff. Yet what I saw as a deliberate structure was camouflaged in a totally free-moving, stream of consciousness style. Graves' narrative storytelling skills are fantastic.

One of his strongest techniques is to take a serious moment and undercut it with humor. For example, Rene is talking about gun safety and how you shouldn't shoot people. Then he's shooting violently into the air. I love that. On a bench he talks about the loss of his job. A very sad moment. Then he farts. That stuff is just like life. The end was quite moving for me. Rene again talks to the camera about the dangers of smoking. "You are alive." He says. The message echoes his moving speech about death, but also echoes the gun speech. Only this time he doesn't undercut himself. The message is clear. Appreciate life. Embrace what you've got. Be happy. Rene is!

Up Syndrome moved me to tears. My sister, who was mentally handicapped, died in April of 1999. Up Syndrome was a reminder of the struggles she went through and the intense happiness she felt. I wish I'd given her the chance to drive. She always wanted to.

S. Rice

I have a pal who has Down Syndrome. And there's a sentence that the director says that truly struck home with me. He said, "He never seemed like he was down." Ain't that the truth. It's a funny thing, when it appears life has given you an unfair card, only the best of us can turn it into a positive. And that's what it seems most people with Down Syndrome tend to do. I'm not gonna lie. I say the word "retard" quite a bit. Either referring to a friend, my brother, a pet, or hell, even myself from time to time. I usually use the word when I'm calling something really dumb. But the funny thing is, when I watch anything based on people who are handicapped, I never even think of calling them retards. And why should I? With my pathetic mood swings, and bouts of unhappiness, the only thing dumb and retarded is my attitude towards life.

Up Syndrome is a really entertaining look into the life of Rene Moreno. Made by one of his best childhood buds, you're given a glimpse into the life of this young man as he talks about his love-life, work, video games, death and even his love for horror flicks. Dead Alive, The Untold Story and Evil Dead 2 are some of his favs. Three of my favs as well.

This is a intriguing and very entertaining look into a one-of-a-kind guys' life and is also great documentary for someone looking to understand Down Syndrome that much more. Too bad he's not a Celtics fan. Go Celts! :)

This documentary came along at a good time for me. My wife and I just had a daughter with Down Syndrome and though we spent a lot of money on various professional texts, it was a movie like this that really shows us what it is like and quiets our fears. We see an individual, Rene with Down Syndrome but doing things through the course of a year in his life that are the same as others his own age. What greater comfort can there be for new parents???

Duane has put together a humorous and entertaining look at one year of many for Rene. It will keep you enthralled as you wonder what is going to happen next. Your pulse will race with Duane's as Rene takes the wheel of a car for the first time. You will cheer with Rene as he celebrates the Spurs championship. You will feel sad as he goes through a breakup. You will wonder, will Rene ever return to Albertson's? We are in for a ride but it's nice to see someone there before you.