Coming to My Senses is an inspiring film about love, determination and overcoming the odds. This film will touch the hearts of everyone who watches it. The documentary not only puts life into perspective, but it teaches everyone that life's not about the destination but the journey and the steps we have to take to get there.
This is a documentary about Aaron Baker, a motorcyclist who breaks his neck and is left completely paralyzed. Doctors tell him he has a million-to-one chance of ever being able to feed himself again. Even after he receives this news, he chooses to ignore the people who doubt him and, over the course of 16 years, fights to gain as much mobility as possible. The documentary follows his final journey, which is to walk 20 miles across Death Valley.
This documentary is one of the most inspiring films I have ever watched. I cannot comprehend how brave and strong Aaron Baker is. The film gives the audience the perspective of his entire family throughout his journey of recovery. I immediately felt a strong connection to his family and truly felt their struggle. My favorite relationship in this film is between Aaron's mother and himself. They both go through depression and overcome it together. Aaron's mother sticks by his side through his hardships, which allows their relationship to grow strong. One of the most powerful lines in this film is when Aaron's mother is released gets out of jail for drunk driving and gets onto a bus where Aaron is waiting for her. Aaron gives his mother the choice to pack her bags and leave so she can do what she needs to. She is in a very bad place at the time and responds to him by saying, "You might not need me, but I need you." This line is absolutely beautiful. I can feel the love that Aaron's mother has for her son.
The one rather extraordinary aspect of this film is how humorous it is. It covers such a serious subject (spinal cord injury) so I expected it to be austere. This assumption was completely wrong. Aaron Baker is a very silly and playful guy. He chooses to make light of his situation and occasionally makes fun of his injury. This surprised me, because I have never watched a documentary about a serious topic that joked about the topic. That silliness and pure happiness that surrounds Aaron allowed me to stay interested in him and his journey.
My favorite scene is when Aaron is in the hospital right after his motorcycle accident. His sister decides to paint his nails, which makes him frustrated at first. After she is finished, he looks at his toes and visualizes which color toe he wants to move. He then discovers he is able to move the toe he wants to. The doctors don't believe he is able to do this, but he decides to ignore them. This is the first step on his long journey to recovery. This scene is funny and heartwarming at the same time. Aaron paints his toenails throughout the film which symbolizes his recovery. This quirky and sweet action gives the documentary great character.
This documentary is one I will never forget. The story is very influential. It blows my mind how he was able to go from paralyzed and dependent on people for his most basic needs, to walking on his own and even cycling. The film helps bring attention to people who struggle with mobility. A topic such as this is important to share with the world since it gets people talking and more educated about spinal injuries.
I recommend this film for people ages 13 to 18 as well as adults. The film deals with some harsh topics such as depression, which is why it skews towards teens. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Reviewed by Talia J., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, visit kidsfirst dot org.
