Life Support

A very good film showing the life of a former drug user who works for an outreach program for women with HIV.

Queen Latifah, a very fine actress, is well suited for the part of Annie.

What makes this film so good is that there is little violence. All the characters give meaning to this very endearing film.

Latifah is especially effective in her sessions with other women. There are marvelous supporting performances by the daughter she gave up to her mother. The latter is also quite good.

This is a very compelling story detailing the black experience with regard to home life and personal identifications and self-esteem.

The Brooklyn locations are a joy to see.

In Brooklyn, New York, the former crack addicted Ana Wallace (Queen Latifah) is HIV positive and is a volunteer in the Life Support, an organization that promotes a fight against AIDS in the Afro-American community. Ana wanders through the streets handing out condoms and helping people with AIDS through lectures and advices. She lives with her mate Slick (Wendell Pierce), who has transmitted AIDS to her, and their little daughter Kim (Rayelle Parker). She has lost the custody of her older daughter Kelly (Rachel Nicks) that lives with her estranged mother Lucille (Anna Deavere Smith).

When Kelly's childhood gay friend Amare (Evan Ross), who is sick and rejected by his sister Tanya (Tracee Ellis Ross), vanishes on the streets of Brooklyn, Ana seeks him out and tries to save him. Meanwhile Lucille decides to move to Virginia with Kelly, and Ana reflects about her life and the relationship with Kelly.

"Life Support" is a wonderful tribute to life inspired in the true story of a black woman that has overcome her addiction to crack and has become an activist in her community of an organization called Life Support. Despite being a sad story, the message transmitted by this little film is tremendously positive and uplifting. The Afro-American actors and actresses have magnificent performances and Queen Latifah shines in the role of Ana Wallace. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Juntos pela Vida" ("Together for Life")

Growing up in the Bronx with drugs and AIDS being overwhelming issues even 25 years ago, I know how important this film was then and, unfortunately, continues to be today. This film is long overdue in its education of prevention, its compassion for fellow humans, and more than anything - its hope. The AIDS issue is stitched together beautifully following the story of a mending family torn apart by drugs many years ago. It's a must see to understand the inner city and in solving this together. Every part was played to perfection. The writer's depth of understanding that this is a far-reaching issue that invades even the simplest aspects of daily life, family trust, and personal pride is worth mentioning.

This is a very moving performance by the multi-talented Queen! I liked her before, and I think this is better than her in Chicago. This is real, and she is keepin' that way!This movie is not just for one race, but for everyone, and she moves me in a way I cannot feel like crying. AIDS, and HIV is a difficult topic for African Americans, let alone everyone else, and she seems to have no problem with portraying an HIV positive woman, trying to help the world. Ms. Wallace........aka Queen Latifa, is great in this performance. It is educational, and yet it need ed to be addressed at some point over the past 30 years without an HIV positive person suffering a horrid death, as she is living her life.

The subject matter of Life Support is heavy, so be prepared when you rent it. It focuses on an HIV support group with a handful of women trying to find hope within a terrible diagnosis. Queen Latifah stars as a woman who contracted the illness through drug use with her husband, Wendell Pierce. Years earlier, her addiction led to the custody loss of her daughter. Now a teenager with frustrations of her own, Rachel Nicks lives with her grandmother but can't seem to make peace with her mother's attempted involvement in her life. Her best friend, Evan Ross, has HIV and doesn't care about taking care of himself. I see no reason why this movie had to be a tv-movie. It felt like a theatrical production, the acting was top-notch, and the story was far more moving and interesting than The Dallas Buyers Club. I read a quote from Stanislavski about acting, that it should be about speaking softly and thinking loudly. Queen Latifah completely embodies that quote, as during every spoken line several other thoughts come across in her expression. From her first scene, as she doles out her morning array of pills and swallows them in silence, to her last silent closeup, she's constantly telling the audience what she's feeling but not saying. If you've only seen Queen Latifah in musicals, pick out one of her heavy movies, like Life Support, Bessie, or Mama Flora's Family. You won't be disappointed by her talent. This movie carries a powerful message, and it's both dramatic and educational. In some scenes, we see a woman moving on with her life; in others, we see a boy throwing his away. During the support group sessions, we hear different perspectives of women who have HIV. Some are afraid to tell people, some are still searching for love, some are angry at themselves. This is a very emotional drama that deals with family connections, regrets, and mistakes that can't be unmade.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. The support group sessions are filmed with a handheld camera and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"