'List of a Lifetime' Review: How cancer makes every moment in life precious
Lifetime just came out with a beautiful movie and we have all the feels. 'List of a Lifetime' is the latest addition to the collection of movies the channel comes out with on the regular.
'List of a Lifetime' sees the life-altering point in Brenda's life when she gets a triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis along with the information that she carries a rare gene that makes her kids prone to cancer as well. What follows is the journey she undertakes to warn her daughter as she rediscovers what life is actually all about. A heartening story of perseverance, love and reconnection Lifetime's new movie hits home.
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Spoilers for 'List of a Lifetime'
We meet Brenda Lee(Kelly Hu) a shy, reserved woman who is down on her luck and in life when she gets slapped with the news of an advanced stage of cancer with only a few months in hand if she doesn't get treatment. The news also comes with another consequence... she has a rare gene which makes any kids she has prone to cancer as well. What follows is the tough decision to meet and warn the daughter she gave up for adoption as a young mom earlier in life. The meeting as expected is awkward and uncomfortable but they soon warm up to each other. Quite a realistic portrayal of such an encounter. Talia (Sylvia Kwan), her daughter who is now a writer, suggests a 'breast cancer bucket list'; things Brenda has always wanted to do and offers to do it with her, while secretly planning on writing about her experience.
Watching Brenda come out of her shell as she ticks things off her bucket list is quite the joy to watch as she blooms like a flower waiting for spring. The lesson we learn is that life is made up of little moments that make it worth living and that they don't have to be grand. Kelly Hu is wonderful to watch as she brings a very natural portrayal of a dejected woman who finds people and things to live for. We cheer for her as she kicks her uncaring boyfriend to the curb and smile as she toilet-papers her boss's house. Sylvia Kwan too shines as the daughter who shares her birth mother's happiness.
Things take a sad turn when Brenda finds out about the article at the same moment adoptive mom Diana (Shannen Doherty) finds her daughter with the woman who gave her up. The pain of two very different mothers is felt profoundly. After they patch things up we see Brenda get treatment as she finds the will to live again. The movie ends on a gratifying note with Brenda now in remission and at a party that celebrates her life.
'List of a Lifetime' is a heartwarming watch that makes you appreciate the things in life you usually take for granted. It gives the lesson that each one of us has spark inside us that needs to be ignited. Life is worth living and should be celebrated is the takeaways from the film. It also does an excellent job of portraying the pressures and problems cancer brings and successfully spreads awareness. 'List of a Lifetime' is a sweet watch you can tuck into with friends or family any time of the week.
You can watch 'List of a Lifetime' on the Lifetime channel.