Le Scaphandre et Le Papillon

Le Scaphandre et Le Papillon, also known as The Diving Bell and Butterfly, is based on the real life incident of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a French journalist and Editor of Elle magazine. He suffered a massive stroke and awoken in the hospital to find himself totally paralysed, except the use of his left eye.

I'm impressed by the director's ability to portray the life of a man trapped inside his body. A soul desperate for the extravagant lifestyle he used to enjoy while at the same time, angry and sadden by his helplessness. What is the quality of life? How about integrity? You find yourself questioning, is there hope in the world if you are caught in the same situation as him. Despite his rare condition, Bauby dictated his story to the interlocutor by blinking his eye. And he passed away shortly after the book was published.

I'm amazed by Bauby's will power and I also sympathise with his condition. It is depressing to see someone going through it. Very similar to a Spanish movie I like, The Sea Inside, which is about Ramon Sampedro. He was paralysed from neck downwards for 29 years and was fighting for his right to end his life. I admire these men in their strength, courage and passion for life, in making the best out of the worst situation.

A very typical style of french movie in adding artistry to the film so that it can have more depth. A little is fine, but too much makes the movie dull and slow without giving more insight to the viewer. Still, it is an excellent movie which is hard to direct and produce. I salute the director's effort.

Rating: 4 out of 5 fairy clouds. A movie to watch if you are able to handle extreme misery and pain life sometimes has to offer.