Lucca's World - The last hope

 

Lucca's World

2025, Spanish

Genre: Family Drama

Directed by Mariana Cherillo

Stars: Barbara Mori, Juan Pablo Medina, Julian Tello, Danish Hussain, Bill Rogers

Mohan's Measure: ⭐⭐⭐

Where to Watch: Netflix

I will admit that while my AP Spanish grades were great, my memory of the language has long faded. The dubbed version of Lucca's World does feel a little trite, but the heartwarming movie still stays with you.

The movie is a predictable, and often generically presented, tale of a mother's unending pursuit of a cure to her son's neurological condition, a condition for which she blames herself for being the cause. The story moves along slowly, with honest conversations and moments of grief.  But, there is little bravado here, even from the very inventor of the cure, played convincingly by Mr. Hussain.  It is perhaps to create a relatability to each character.

Three cheers must go to Master Julian for his extraordinary performance as the title character. It is impossible to tell whether he is actually struggling with cerebral palsy or not, but his portrayal as the optimistic little boy, who now in real life is living a normal life, touches our heart.

India's ties to this amazing yet controversial invention has never quite brought to light, until the release of this true story.  It has stirred both optimism and criticism, but it has not been judged here.  What is presented is the fact that whether science or miracle, the cytotron brought a second life to wonderful young man and his family.  And, in learning about it and the people who experienced, hope is restored.