There were few aspect of the movie that I was especially attracted and focused in the movie which are the experiences of the catatonic states patients and Leonard Lowe.
In the movie, the patients experienced a catatonic state which is sudden to them and lasts for many years. By the time they were woke up by Dr. Sayer's treatment most of the patients have gaps with the timeline they were in. Everything had changed for them, the environment, society and technology. Some of the patients were very delighted and full of feelings of excitement that they had gained a sort of freedom, to be independently do things such as walk, run, eat, play and meeting and interacting with their loved ones. However, there are also some patients that were in depression where as they were shocked to find out the facts that they had lost a decades of time and during the time some lost their families, abandoned, divorced and passed away when they were in catatonic states. The feelings and experiences of the patients were surely unimaginable to me where the awakening is like going to a different world where everything once familiar had gone, friends and families were no longer there for us. Everything that was once taken for granted was no longer there, it was surely depressing and harsh life to go on as there seems to be no longer exist the purpose of life. This part of film portrayed deeply influenced me to re-evaluate things that I have been taking for granted in life
Another aspect of the film that I was particularly interested was the character Leonard Lowe that is portrayed in the story. Kubler-Ross's model of stages of grief was shown in the story by Leonard Lowe in the film. In the movie, when Dr. Sayer was starting to find out the symptoms of illness are coming back to Leonard, the first reaciton of Leonard was denial of the symptoms told. He insisted to Dr. Sayer that he was feeling alright and he was still able to function normally and tries to sought for freedom from the administration staffs from the hospital. He was in the first stage of grief which is denial in that particular moment, being denial on his symptoms were coming back and the fact he might went back to catatonic states. He was not able to accept the fact he will once again experience the illness and lost the freedom to the outside world.
Soon, after few scenes of the movies, Leonard began to angry on his surroundings, the admin of the hospital for not granting him the freedom to go out for walk on himself and Dr. Sayer for not helping and trusting him. He insisted that it was not fair for him to disallow him to have the freedom that everyone should have and he became paranoia in the process, doubting people and thinking there are people trying to harm him even including Dr. Sayer. Leonard was experiencing the second stages of grief, anger.
The third stage of grief, bargaining can be seen in the movie where Leonard began to have even stronger symptoms appearing where he started to have very little control to his body, no longer able to stop the shaking of his body. He was desperate for help and when Dr. Sayer appears in front of him, he seek help and stronger medication hoping that it will be able to cure the symptoms like before.
However, the medication of L-Dopa treatment was no longer working even with a stronger dose to Leonard's condition of symptoms. Leonard began to felt depressed and helpless. Leonard became more quiet and less active in social interactions with the others in the hospital. He was in the fourth stage of grief which is depression.
Finally, after the few incidents that Leonard had experienced, he began to become more acceptance to his conditions and tries to leave something behind for future patients like him to help in the research of the illness.
He insisted Dr. Sayer to video-taped him when the symptoms returns to him hoping it will contribute to the future research of the illness. Also, he also met with Paula, the girl which he had romantic interests to have a last lunch with her and tells her he cannot see her anymore. The meeting with Paula was Leonard one last wishes and also shown his acceptance to the condition of his illness that he will be back into catatonic states very soon. This had shown the last stages of grief which is acceptance.
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