Films involving Cancer

Cancer: Major Films no photo.

Title	Girls' Night (1997)
Alternative/Original Title
Disability	Cancer Brain tumour
Country	UK
Length	100
Genre	Road movie?
Rating	4
Director	Nick Hurran
Cast	Brenda Blethyn Julie Walters Kris Kristofferson James Gaddas George Costigan Meera Syal
Notes	Friends since childhood, later in-laws and work mates Dawn and Jackie live in each other's pockets. Dawn discovers she has terminal cancer and Jackie knows she's always wanted to go to Las Vegas. So with the money she has from a bingo win she takes her. In Vegas they meet Cody (Kristofferson). Initially he's tracking Jackie but quickly susses out what's going on (must be a new man) and takes them for a trip through the desert. Now that's a sane move. Two days in Vegas is enough for anyone's sanity. But why would anyone whose dream was to visit Vegas want to drive through the desert? Of course the desert is for contemplation and discovering yourself and you can understand why you, or I, or a film maker would want to go there. At the end of the holiday the two women return and Dawn dies. Jackie feels like she's lost a twin sister but there's somebody on the horizon. More: The film starts off well rooted in working class England. A little picture of dysfunctional family life then it's to Bingo. Dawn wins, marking both cards while her mate Julie gets screwed in the manager's office. It's a big win but traditionally the two women always share their wins. Though Dawn wins ú105,325 Jackie only gets ú35,000 because of Dawn's husband's meanness. Both go back to work in an electrical component factory, meanwhile Jackie leaves her husband who is Dawn's brother for the bingo manager who distracted her from marking her bingo card. Unfortunately as she walks into his office, bags packed as it were, she finds he's having it off with someone else. At work Dawn starts to have jerky movements and collapses in a fit. Taken to hospital she is found to have brain tumour, related to the breast cancer she had years ago. She has radiation treatment causing her hair to fall out. Dawn gives up treatment because of the side effects and the realisation there is no cure. Jackies' big idea since they haven't had a holiday for 7 years is to buy tickets to Las Vegas. At this point I did wonder how Dawn would get travel insurance. In a casino Jackie is chatted up by Kris Kristofferson when she hits the jackpot. Now wouldn't anyone sensible give the boot to cheesy Kris K? The other big idea Jackie has is that if Dawn thinks positive she can get rid of tumour. K.K. goes along with this and they canter around the desert on horses. Returning home Dawn dies surrounded by her family who are stuffing their mouths and watching the TV programme, Blind Date. Jackies give a 'moving' speech at her funeral and then goes back to U.S. to her cowboy Kris K. This is half inspirational, half slice life film with solid performances.

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