SYNOPSICS
Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (2010) is a English movie. Joe Cross,Kurt Engfehr has directed this movie. Joe Cross,Amy Badberg,Merv Cross,Virginia Cross are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2010. Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (2010) is considered one of the best Documentary movie in India and around the world.
100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope and the end of his hope. In the mirror he saw a 310lb man whose gut was bigger than a beach ball and a path laid out before him that wouldn't end well- with one foot already in the grave, the other wasn't far behind. FAT, SICK and NEARLY DEAD is an inspiring film that chronicles Joe's personal mission to regain his health. With doctors and conventional medicines unable to help long-term, Joe turns to the only option left, the body's ability to heal itself. He trades in the junk food and hits the road with juicer and generator in tow, vowing only to drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the next 60 days. Across 3,000 miles Joe has one goal in mind: To get off his pills and achieve a balanced lifestyle. While talking to more than 500 Americans about food, health and longevity, it's at a truck stop in Arizona where Joe meets a truck driver who suffers...
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Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (2010) Reviews
Inspirational, Educational ... Above All, Entertaining
The average American devotes just 5% of their diet to fruits and vegetables. A documentary which attempts to convince us that that low percentage is all but killing us -- that sounds like it might be somewhat of a slog. Framed as the story of a man who, by temporarily pushing that 5% all the way to 100%, not only lost a ton of weight, but apparently cured himself of autoimmune disorder -- well, that sounds inspirational and hence eminently watchable. (In fact, it's thrillingly inspirational, with a twist I won't reveal even if the summary above does.) But FAST, SICK AND NEARLY DEAD takes it a step further. After shooting 500 hours of footage, director and subject Joe Cross enlisted Kurt Engfehr as co-writer and Chris Seward as co-editor -- both have worked with Michael Moore. The result is a documentary that manages to keep the personal and intimate tone of a self-motivated and financed project while being unfailingly entertaining, thanks to state-of-the-art storytelling. Cross has stated that his goal with this film is to ultimately increase that 5% for fruits and vegetables to 10%. Of course, the odds are against anything becoming a cultural phenomenon, against anything being that influential ... but this film is good enough that it has a real shot. You can think of SUPER-SIZE ME as the statement of the problem; if there's any justice this film will be just as successful as a proposal of one possible solution. This earns 9/10 simply as film -- and gains a final star because the story it tells is so important. Note: this review includes some information provided by Joe Cross during the Q&A following an advance screening ... from which I've just returned! Postscript, June: While I haven't done the "reboot" Joe advocates in this film, I've been inspired to go from eating about 3 servings of fruits and vegetables a day to about 10, and I've lost 9 pounds without trying (since the healthy food is replacing sweet and salty snacks). And I had known this was the correct thing to do for years: I was just never motivated to do it. This film *will* change your life. Postscript, August 2012: After losing another 9 pounds, I've settled in at my college weight from forty years ago, and after my initial fanaticism wore off, I've probably settled in at 8 servings a day. The change is permanent.
Incredible
I kind of feel compelled to write a review for this movie. It is a must watch. It is truly inspirational. It is uplifting and offers actual answers. This is sort of 2 stories in 1 movie (documentary). The film starts out with Joe, an Australian who travels to the United States for a 60 day juice fast. The first 30 days he spends in New York and then proceeds to travel across country for the remaining 30 days. Along the way he talks to people about health and food. Along this travel Joe meets Phil, a truck driver who suffers from the same autoimmune disease as Joe. The second half of the film is about Phil's journey and decision to start fasting, making healthier life choice and exercising, with Joe's help. I have never been one to enjoy any show or film about weight loss, or eating healthier. I suppose part of that is that I've never been affected by it. I have no problem staying thin. I say this not to be arrogant, but to stress just how good this film is; the fact that this film actually caught my attention. I'll say it again, it was inspirational. It was also very entertaining. The story is put together well. It's well edited. Throughout the movie there are segments that are animated, and they are done very well, which adds more to the film in terms of entertainment; and not just for the sake of it. I'd highly recommend this movie to everyone, whether you are overweight or underweight or right on target. It's a must watch for anyone who has never thought about what they eat much, and also for those who already do. It's good for audiences alike I think. The only thing I might be weary of .at one point in the film they do suggest an average cost of doing this juice fast to most it might seem quite reasonable, but for others, like myself, it does seem quite costly. I mean, it's more than I'm used to spending on food. But maybe I could cut down on other things. But I think it all comes down to motivation and desire. Who knows, I just might try this one day soon.
Not a science lecture, but motivation and inspiration
Movies about food and health are in season, many of them droning on about the Western diet, the benefits of proper food, the evils of the food industry and the modern life style, or any combination thereof. To be sure, all of that is quite right, and learning more about it can be educational and helpful in improving one's own dietary habits and consequently one's health. This film skips much of the science, which is dealt with only in short sketches and cartoons (and a look at the Web site suggests that it might be better that way, since the author's view of the science is cartoonish with a distinct New-Agey touch). Nutrition science isn't the topic here. Instead, we are being taken on the personal journeys of the author, Joe, and a couple of other characters who are 'recruited' on the way. And it is the power and realism of those stories that are the source of the impact of this movie. Joe's own story is impressive already --- as he literally slims before our eyes from pudgy to trim by drinking vegetable and fruit juice, it is difficult to imagine anyone struggling with their weight and health seeing this without getting at least interested in his approach. It might have ended there, and be a pretty good piece on the significant impact of your diet on your health, and how a shift of the food habits can have a decisive effect on someone's life in a relatively short period of time. But then there is the story of Phil, a very fat truck driver from Iowa, one of the folks Joe talks to on the road trip he undertakes during his juice fast. Halfway through the movie, we listen to Phil calling Joe to take him up on the offer to help him with his weight problem. Phil sounds desperate and depressed, he sounds like he is not expecting to make many more calls. Much of the second half of the movie is devoted to Phil's journey, from a very fat, socially isolated, depressed Iowa truck driver who could hardly walk, to a much thinner, much healthier-looking Phil who jogs, gives inspirational talks about nutrition to others, and helps his brother change his diet before the next heart attack becomes his last one, just as Joe helped him turn his fate around. That's just an incredible story, amazing to watch, and truly inspirational. Even if you don't have a weight problem, it's still a joy to see real people change their lives to the better on screen. However, if you do have a weight problem, and related health issues, and perhaps have come to believe that that's just the way you were built and nothing can change it, then this movie shows you otherwise. If Phil can do it, so can you. Do you have to do it the way Phil and Joe did? Probably not. Should you research the matter further? Definitely. Should you consult a physician? Probably. You may need to take a slightly different route, but this film shows that there is a path.
Amazing
When you watch this movie and think to yourself "That looks great.. but I just cant do it because(insert any reason here).." Then you need to stop and examine your thought process from a different angle.and realize thats what many many people in your position do. You can't have so much negativity in your heart. If you really want to change, you can! Drugs were my life for 6 years.i was always irritable, i was morbidly obese, and i was constantly unmotivated and depressed, and on top of all of that I was slow minded. I changed. I realized the utter insanity that was my existence. I started exercising, I quit smoking cigs, I quit doing pills, I started eating right and working out everyday, and I saw a drastic change in my life. I learned willpower and how to use it, I saw peoples motivations more clearly, I started to understand people better, I understand life better. Never give in to the negativity in your heart, and never become lazy and complacent. The dark corners of your psyche will try to tell you whatever you want to hear to keep you down and unhappy. Maybe you'll tell yourself you ARE happy with being fat and in danger of diabetes, maybe you'll convince yourself you like the terrible foods your eating and that makes it OK to do it, that you'll never be like those other people who lose limbs and their life.. Well, as previously stated, that is what so many people do! Don't fall prey to that vicious mind set. Stay positive, realize the adaptability of the body god/evolution/whateveryouwanttobelieve gave you, and trust in that. I thought it would be terrible eating healthy because I assumed my taste would not change, but it does! You start to love the way healthy food tastes, and you feel good about eating it too! bam!! double enjoyment! Even if you don't agree with the way I'm trying to express this message to you(maybe my grammars not to your taste, maybe my diction could use work) still at least see the wisdom I'm trying to share. Negativity begets negativity- If you think negative, you do negative without even realizing it because you rationalize it to yourself. You can do whatever you truly set your mind to, you just need to realize you'll tell yourself negative things because you are afraid of change. Please, live better. Live happy, and once you live in happiness it is so much easier to have compassion for others. Everything is so much easier, and takes on a totally different light. This review isn't so much a review, as it is an attempt to help someone... anyone.
Inspiring weight loss journey of discovery
This was probably the most inspirational documentary i have seen ever, the fact the movie showed the guy losing the weight during the 60 day trip across the USA and it inspired a fat trucker to jump into the same program, I felt uplifted to watch the fat trucker actually losing a huge amount of weight, I am maybe 20 pounds overweight which is nothing but I am going to start introducing a liquid meal into my daily routine, I wish every overweight kid would watch this and feel as positive about it as i do, it should be made part of schools social sciences classes to show what can be done and so easily. It is what most folks really need to be faced with the facts about eating todays processed rubbish. I am going straight out to buy a juicer and all the greens that go with it