Parents' Guide to

End Game

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Inspiring docu treats dying as integral part of life cycle.

Movie NR 2018 40 minutes
End Game Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

Roslocks12345678910
Roslocks12345678910 Parent of 2, 4, 9, 10, 13 and 16-year-old
January 10, 2019
age 14+

End game

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What's the Story?

The objective of END GAME is to portray a natural, intimate, and humane way of death. Substantial screen time is given to University of California, San Francisco Medical Center's cancer patient Mitra, a 45-year-old woman, along with Hamid, her husband, and Vaji, her mother, as Mitra's death approaches. The film closely observes the staff of professionals, including lead doctor Dr. Steve Pantilant, who care for her, as Mitra's final days reveal the myriad emotions that accompany the woman's death. At the Zen Hospice Project, filmmakers mark the last months in the life of Pat Harris, another cancer patient. Dr. B.J. Miller, founder of the Zen Project, is profiled as well. His personal story, coming back from a tragic accident that almost cost him his life, helps to deliver profound messages about how perspective and attitude alter our life journey. Miller's mission -- to reclaim the end of life as a human experience instead of a medical one -- is clearly illustrated in the scenes at his facility.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

In a mere 40 minutes, award-winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman manage to deliver profound messages about how perspective and attitude alter our life journey. As in two other of their most acclaimed films, The Celluloid Closet and Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, very personal, singular stories illuminate a universe of human experience. Bravo to Mitra and her family and Pat Harris for allowing us to witness such intimate moments in their lives. Their generosity was remarkable.

For folks who hesitate to watch a movie about death and dying, End Game will be a timely revelation. The film cannot help but inform, inspire, and ultimately soothe the ever-present fears of young and old who struggle to accept that life and death are both requisite elements of nature's miracle.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the various purposes of documentary filmmaking: to entertain, persuade, and/or inspire. Into which category(ies) does End Game fall? What do you think the filmmakers' intention was when they made this film?

  • This film shows how Dr. B.J. Miller's own devastating experience informed his life choices. How is this an example of the adage "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"? Think of a situation in which a negative experience inspired you to do something positive.

  • What does this movie mean by the statement "Get used to holding the mystery, which is death"? How can that notion ease our perceptions of death as a scary event that's beyond our control?

  • Which character strengths does the documentary promote?

Movie Details

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