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Review of “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot”
Upon the suggestion of one of our followers I watched the movie “Don’t Worry He Won’t Get Far on Foot.” It’s a Prime Original that stars Joaquin Phoenix as John Callahan who struggles not only with coming to terms with becoming a quadriplegic but also with alcoholism. During the process of becoming sober he also discovers he possesses a creative talent.
Of course this is another instance where an able bodied actor plays a disabled character. In this instance there were several back story scenes that were before the accident, so I can’t fault Hollywood choosing an able bodied actor in this case. Throughout the film there were several extras in wheelchairs. It would be interesting to know if they indeed were disabled actors. I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t have been, but not sure how to find out.
Although John Callahan has an acquired disability, I found several aspects of the film relate-able. His electric wheelchair was definitely a flashback to my first chair with the big wheels and square box joystick. I can even relate to when his chair broke down and there was nothing they could do because he wasn’t eligible for a new chair yet. Having to be concerned about your income so you won’t loose benefits is also something the movie touched on. Although I can’t relate to his alcoholism it was an interesting storyline and I can relate to the scene where he dropped the bottle he was trying to open and nothing else was in reach. Several scenes I just smiled and was like, yup I’ve done that.
The dynamic cast was also great. My favorite might have been the less than stellar roommate/caregiver. On one hand I disliked him for his lack of motivation, but on another I think he was right on point for not letting John treat him like dirt.
Have you seen the movie? What did you think? Any particular scenes or situations you relate to?
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6 Replies
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Thanks for the review DeAnn! I’ll check this out tonight and share my thoughts tomorrow. It sounds like it gets some things right. I’m pretty sure this was directed by Gus Van Sant, who did “Good Will Hunting.”
At the least these movies are sparking discussion about disability representation. Callahan was a pretty big disability advocate in his day, and he used his satirical cartoons to provide social commentary.
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Ok so I watched it last night, and overall I liked it. While very different from my story, like you said there were situations I could totally relate to. Being stuck at home and dropping something, having a caregiver show up extremely late, and having a catheter overflow are all situations I’ve been in. The film is honest about these things, and remains pretty grounded without being overly sappy. I also liked its non-chronological storytelling.
My only big criticism is that Rooney Mara’s character is terribly underwritten. I get that John and Annu’s relationship isn’t the focus of the story, but still she’s just written as a one-dimensional love interest. I would have liked to see that relationship explored a little more.
But I would recommend this to everyone here, and I think it sparks good discussion. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
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I’m glad you watched this movie. I wrote about this film, I would just add it, about whether this role should be played by a man with dissabilities or not.It would be good to have actors with disabilities, but it is good again such roles are acting famous and quality actors like Joaquin Phoenix.
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Thanks for the recommendation!
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I watched this film several months ago and thought it was solid and well acted, but perhaps a little overly ambitious in the number of topics it encompasses. Certainly there were many relatable issues; from running off a curb to roommate and caregiver problems to relationships and earning a living while disabled.
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I agree that it covered a little too much, and could have been more focused. I mentioned that the relationship he has with Annu is really watered down. Did they even stay together? It never really concludes that arc. I would like to read the book though.
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