Films and books are different mediums. People often blast a film for "not being the book." I argue that it shouldn't be. The printed word is not the same as a production with images, sound, and more. The book (which I loved) tells a story which provides for the reader a certain amount of outrage -- at the lies, the manipulations, the unfairness of it all. Medical professionals saw Henrietta Lacks as a source, not a person. They didn't care about her or her family and some dismissed them in gross racial terms. The film leaves out most of the medical storyline and focuses on the the Lacks family. Oprah Winfrey does an outstanding job subverting her big personality to truly "become" one of the troubled daughters of Henrietta. The rest of the cast is top-notch as well. The writing is strong, the filming delicate and pointed. One can see, and feel, the pain of a family which was used and abused, over and over and over again. This came out in 2016 on the (then) quiet Hulu streaming service and slipped under the radar. If it came out today, with the preponderance of streaming material, it would have been nominated for awards. A worthy watch, and a worthy read. Read the book for the facts, watch the film for the feelings.
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