Review of Unrest, A Documentary Film on ME, from an ME Patient’s Perspective

I watched Unrest, a documentary film produced by Jennifer Brea, a film director with ME. 

Unrest Official Website
https://www.unrest.film/

What kind of movie is it?

Unrest is a documentary film on myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME. The director, Jennifer, filmed herself through days when she felt better as well as when she “crashed” and was unable even to sit up.

It is a valuable movie that tells the viewer what it is like to live with this chronic illness. 

This film offers credible information on ME based on scientific evidence from research as well as several interviews with medical professionals specializing in ME. I learned new things that I didn’t know. 

【Update: May 17, 2023】
In May of 2023, Unrest is available on YouTube. 

Scenes that left me with a strong impression

In this film, there were good days and bad days on Jennifer’s journey for effective treatment with her husband. She had a better day when her prescribed anti-virus medicine worked, and was able to walk around her house. It was tense when she had a fight with her husband over the way she gets away from mold completely at their residence. And a “crash” made her unable to move after a casual outing.   

Unlike most dramas or novels, Unrest depicts that a chronic illness is part of its patient’s life, and that there is no escape from it.

Having had ME for 27 years, I was able to imagine what she must have been through, so I took a break from time to time while watching the movie. 

She must have had severe ME, but it seemed to me that she had days when she was able to pretend to be a healthy person one day and was bed-ridden some other days.

In the first five years after I contracted ME, I went through days when I was feeling well as if I were healthy as well as days when I was unable to go to the bathroom on my own alternately in a very short time span. 

What surprised me most

The film made me realize once again that ME is an invisible illness.  

As a long-term ME patient, I have become observant. I catch subtle changes in how my family members or friends’ are feeling. When they are tired or have a cold, I notice it even before they do. 

As I was watching the movie, however, I was truly surprised how healthy Jennifer looked to me.

It was truly astonishing to know that an ME patient can look healthy even to another ME patient. 

You never get to see a video of yourself feeling so terrible that even talking or going to the bathroom is daunting a task…

I came to realize the fact that I might look much healthier than I thought I did. 

ME is an invisible illness

Although I knew all along that ME is an invisible illness, the movie reminded me of the invisibility once again, and that made me aware of how lucky I am to have friends who believe that I am sick.

They believe me that I suffer a great deal and try to help me when needed. I can never take their kindness for granted.