"The Human Experience" is a profound documentary that captures several difficult aspects of humanity. It makes the audience laugh, cry, and share in every emotion with the characters. From the beginning, it was breathtaking. The dramatic soundtrack combined with the flickering of numerous historical events on the screen succeeded in drawing me in further.
The documentary was narrated by Jeffery Azize who grew up in an abusive household where his father was addicted to drugs. In the film, he starts a journey to find inner peace. He is accompanied by his brother, Cliff, and a few other friends. They experience four different predicaments that illuminate their purpose to live.
The first experience was to live as a homeless person on the coldest week of winter. When the journey began I wasn't really affected by Azize's descriptions of how he felt being homeless. It seems as though he was overly dramatic in displaying his emotions and like this experiment had been done a number of times before.
The story line grew intense as their journey shifted to South America where they tagged along with a nonprofit organization called Surf for A Cause. The organization helps children who were left abandoned because they were in need of medical assistance and family couldn't afford it.
"It's not what we gave them, it's what they gave us," said Cliff.
The third experienced was in Ghana, where they had the opportunity to interview individuals who were exposed to AIDS.
Last but not least they went to a leper colony. The people here had been exposed to this chronic disease and were secluded from the rest of their community. It was amazing to see one of Jeff's friends shaking hands with people who didn't have all of their fingers, or actually looking into the faces of people who had missing eyes.
This documentary will open the eyes of some students who watch it. It teaches that one should value a cliché; which is to be grateful of what you have.
The story line was well organized and had an outstanding reaction from the crowd. When the film ended the room filled with applause. I give this documentary two thumbs up, and recommend it to all, regardless of gender or age.
Nareasha Willis can be reached at nareasha.willis@student.shu.edu.
