Film Review: The Resilient Heart

by Susan FroemkeMermaid Media
reviewed by Bilge Ebiri
Heal
The Resilient Heart - poster

Dr. Valentin Fuster has dedicated his life to promoting cardiovascular health, and he’s convinced that the way to do it is to get to people on a philosophical and moral level. Susan Froemke’s film follows the renowned cardiologist around the world as he speaks to children, adults, professionals, and community medical workers—always with the goal of intervening as early as possible, to get people to change their habits and to start living healthier lifestyles. And every place he visits, whether it’s Kenya, or Harlem, or Grenada, has its own story and its own unique challenges.

This could have made for a very dry movie, but Froemke’s approach is immediate and intimate, getting up close with Fuster and showing his emotional reactions to the people he’s interacting with. This is not a man who minces words. And in many ways, trying to convince people to change their ways is a lot harder than treating them later for serious health issues. This is a film of boundless compassion, about a figure who is trying to save millions of lives by reaching out to them—and there is real excitement in that journey.


This entry is tagged with:
Film ReviewsMedical Care

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