Review of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

9/8/17. Since I read the book I was so looking forward to seeing this with Winfrey. Sadly, it was somewhat of a disappointment, especially if you have read the book and enjoyed it. I just loved the book because it was so well-written. Though the movie did cover the book rather adequately the emphasis on the infighting among Lacks's adult children made the movie uncomfortable to watch. These adult children were not educated. Winfrey's portrayal of Debbie Lacks was spot-on as well- meaning daughter who wanted to learn more about her mother but was fraught with mental health issues that made her labile and unreasonable most of the time. Byrne did a find job of portraying Skloot. You will actually feel sorry for her because of how much grief she had to go through to get the facts right and pay homage to Henrietta Lacks and her contribution to medical research. I don't think this movie is worth watching, but the book is definitely worth reading.