The Good Death

There is nothing really new when it comes to assisted suicide. It's a choice thas has been sistematically denied in the vast majority of places, for whatever reasons. Denied by people in important positions, possibly enjoying good health and likely based on their personal beliefs. They frequently think there is a satisfactory solution to every problem and reduce a terminally ill person's struggle to something they believe can be mitigated greatly, as if a person who spent their own life facing degrading conditions woudn't have tried everything possible before, nor thought about the implications of an irreversible decision. So this documentary cannot bring anything to the table that wasn't already discussed in other films alike, in terms of the central question, which is why is that choice denied. And maybe it's for the better it doesn't go there. Its strength lies, however, in being a documentary, not acting. More so in showing the dying person's closest relatives supporting her no matter how hard they would like to avoid what was her final decision. Even if in the short span of the film they still remain strangers to you, it is difficult to watch. It is not something to be enjoyed. Rather it is intended to make us question the very roots of many of our beliefs. Hopefully it will touch the hearts and minds of those in charge in a way that allows the real discussion to take place in an educated, respectful manner, without judgement or prejudice, and especially, leaving religious beliefs aside. There is a moment when Janette says she is not brave because she chooses to die, since that is the easy choice. The hard one would be to endure her condition until the end. I disagree. To endure would be not only cruel to herself but to others that care for her, and in being miserable the impact would transcend her own life. This is not a matter of bravery, it is a matter of love. Love for others and love for oneself.

There is nothing really new when it comes to assisted suicide. It's a choice thas has been sistematically denied in the vast majority of places, for whatever reasons. Denied by people in important positions, possibly enjoying good health and likely based on their personal beliefs. They frequently think there is a satisfactory solution to every problem and reduce a terminally ill person's struggle to something they believe can be mitigated greatly, as if a person who spent their own life facing degrading conditions woudn't have tried everything possible before, nor thought about the implications of an irreversible decision. So this documentary cannot bring anything to the table that wasn't already discussed in other films alike, in terms of the central question, which is why is that choice denied. And maybe it's for the better it doesn't go there. Its strength lies, however, in being a documentary, not acting. More so in showing the dying person's closest relatives supporting her no matter how hard they would like to avoid what was her final decision. Even if in the short span of the film they still remain strangers to you, it is difficult to watch. It is not something to be enjoyed. Rather it is intended to make us question the very roots of many of our beliefs. Hopefully it will touch the hearts and minds of those in charge in a way that allows the real discussion to take place in an educated, respectful manner, without judgement or prejudice, and especially, leaving religious beliefs aside. There is a moment when Janette says she is not brave because she chooses to die, since that is the easy choice. The hard one would be to endure her condition until the end. I disagree. To endure would be not only cruel to herself but to others that care for her, and in being miserable the impact would transcend her own life. This is not a matter of bravery, it is a matter of love. Love for others and love for oneself.