Parents' Guide to

Decoding Annie Parker

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Powerful if a bit uneven docudrama about cancer, research.

Movie R 2014 99 minutes
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What's the Story?

DECODING ANNIE PARKER is the story of two very different women who both want the same thing: to figure out whether there's a genetic cause for breast cancer. In Toronto in the early 1970s, 18-year-old Annie Parker (Samantha Morton) was already motherless due to breast cancer when she impetuously married her rock-star-wannabe boyfriend, Paul (Aaron Paul). Soon after that, her father dies, then her older sister Joan also succumbs to breast cancer (Marley Shelton). Eventually Annie, too, gets a diagnosis, causing her to become obsessed with the idea that it can't be just random bad luck. Meanwhile, in the States, leading research scientist Dr. Marie-Claire King (Helen Hunt) works in her lab to study families with multiple cases of the disease in the hopes of discovering a breast cancer gene. It takes decades, but both women weather countless ups and downs to reach their goals.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Cinematographer Steven Bernstein makes his feature-film directorial debut with this informative if slightly uneven depiction of how two different women address breast cancer. One is a researcher, one a survivor; both commit themselves to the notion that breast cancer that runs in family can't be a coincidence. Despite the film's strong language and occasional sex scenes, it feels more like an old-school made-for-TV-movie than a sophisticated feature. The performances are solid and the story powerful, but the execution (especially the division between the two storylines) is spotty and underwhelming at times.

Still, it's emotional and upsetting -- particularly as the Job-like Annie deals with death after death and treatment after treatment. Decoding Annie Parker is a good choice for mothers to watch with their mature teen daughters; they'll have plenty to talk about afterward. Whether it's discussing Annie's heartbreaking life or Dr. King's relentless mission to find the gene, audiences will want to find out more about the real story of BRCA gene research. Although there's a lot of sadness in the drama, ultimately science prevails in a most unsentimental way. The feelings are left to Annie, who never gets her family back but does get the answers she desperately needs.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the need for cancer research. Why do you think Decoding Annie Parker focuses on both a survivor and a scientist, rather than just one or the other?

  • What's the movie's message? What does it take to be a visionary scientist?

  • What audience do you think the movie is intended to appeal to? How can you tell?

Movie Details

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