Audrey's Children (2024) - Film Review

      Audrey’s Children, 2024.

      Directed by Ami Canaan Mann.

      Starring Natalie Dormer, Jimmi Simpson, Clancy Brown, Rose Decker, Evelyn Giovine, Brandon Michael Hall, Julianna Layne, Roberto Lombardi, Kat Murphy, Jeff Panzarella, Charles W Harris III, Todd Berry, Bobby Favoretto, J.P. Edwards, Scott Teller, Sabrina Halzel, Michael Sontarp, and Ben Chase.

      SYNOPSIS:

      In 1969, Dr. Audrey Evans joins a prestigious children's hospital, confronting sexism, medical norms, and the deceit of her colleagues to create groundbreaking treatments and acquire the first Ronald McDonald House, affecting millions of lives.

      Without a doubt, director Ami Canaan Mann’s Audrey’s Children presents a biographical account of an extraordinary, pioneering physician that deserves to be shared for its inherent inspirational essence. The film follows British oncologist Audrey Evans (Natalie Dormer) in 1969, at a Philadelphia hospital focused on advancing pediatric cancer research, especially concerning neuroblastoma. As expected, she faces underestimation, stemming from subtle sexism, while her superiors and peers prefer to channel funding into alternative research that may yield more immediate results.

      Audrey's primary goal is to conduct tests combining various cancer treatment medications by first experimenting humanely on mice, emphasizing humane treatment and a specific, less painful method for administering medicine. Much of the dialogue is laden with scientific terminology, but ultimately, the focus is on the well-known five stages of cancer, with her research (often obstructed and limited) analyzing how cancer spreads and metastasizes throughout the body and how each situation demands a different treatment strategy. As the stage increases, the survival rates decrease.

      Today, the survival rate for children can be as high as 80%, but these remarkable statistics don't necessarily equate to an engaging story. While Natalie Dormer brings significant tenacity, resilience, and commitment to the role, the stilted storytelling unfolds in a predictable manner, making it seem as if screenwriter Julia Fisher Farbman was translating the narrative into a clichéd outline for the sake of clarity. Consequently, the film feels bland and devoid of genuine emotion.

      An exception arises in the character of young neuroblastoma patient Mia McAllister (Julianna Layne), with whom Audrey forms a bond, becoming her motivation to persist with her research, even if it involves bending a few rules and separating from supportive colleagues. Their heartfelt, imaginative conversations, such as pretending the medication is derived from pink flowers to alleviate the fear of injections, and deeper discussions about heaven, create a sentimental connection. While this bond also leans into cliché, it effectively invokes an emotional reaction, unlike Audrey’s interactions with others, including a supportive doctor who later becomes her husband.

      Audrey faces the typical challenges of a woman in her profession during the 1960s, which is acceptable but lacks any distinctive element to make this narrative feel unique. The film struggles even more to portray who Audrey is beyond her professional life. Nevertheless, her contributions were admirable and heroic, resonating strongly even today through institutions like the Ronald McDonald houses for cancer patients (which she helped establish through her dedication and some fortuitous encounters with the Philadelphia Eagles). However, Audrey’s Children largely focuses on historical recounting, offering minimal engagement and investment beyond the achievements themselves.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He also serves as the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd.