The Amherst Cinema Reel: A Review of Come See Me in the Good Light

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I first heard of the documentary Come See Me in the Good Light from one of my friends who famously hates poetry. She told me that watching the film made her love poetry and also made her cry more than she has in the past five years. After that glowing review, I had to check it out for myself.

Going to Amherst Cinema 

It was my first time at Amherst Cinema, and I was excited to take the PVTA from UMass Amherst for the movie. The lobby was bright and welcoming, and I was pleasantly surprised by how many people showed up in the theater. It was hard to find two seats together!

The Contents of the Documentary

The documentary follows Andrea Gibson, a nonbinary poet and activist, who was diagnosed with incurable ovarian cancer. The film documents them and their partner Megan Falley, and the way they approach the fragility of life after finding out how easily it can be snatched away from them.

Andrea gets a CA-125 (Cancer Antigen 125) test every three weeks, which measures the level of cancer in their body. They live life in three-week cycles, test results and pain levels often determining what life looks like day-to-day. Andrea is followed to appointments with doctors, dinners with friends, and revision sessions with Megan. But through it all, they maintain a sense of joy and wonder for the world around them that is unmatched.

Andrea’s Spoken Word (And a Spoiler Alert)

Andrea’s work as a poet is masterfully woven into the documentary, equally beautiful and heartbreaking at different moments. Spoken word is interspersed with scenes of their cancer treatment, quiet moments at home with Megan, and flashbacks to their life as a child and young adult.

Andrea is primarily a spoken word poet, so their voice and performance are their greatest gifts. However, for years, they had to cancel shows due to cancer treatment, and even lost their ability to speak for a short time. But in arguably the most breathtaking moment of the documentary, Andrea gets the chance to do one last show. My favorite poem performed was “Acceptance Speech after Setting the World Record in Goosebumps”—a scene that brought me and many others in the theater to tears.
 

Ending on a Make

Fellow athletes will appreciate Andrea’s basketball references, as they were a high school Maine state basketball champion. In one touching moment of the film, Andrea makes a comment about how a lot of athletes refuse to leave the court until they’ve made a basket. That is how they’re approaching the end of their life—ending on a make.

Content Warnings

Of course, this movie is very emotional. It highlights some of the most difficult parts of Andrea’s life, and references their struggles not only with cancer but with mental health and suicidality. Viewers should be prepared for the lack of closure and intense emotion that comes with knowing the end of one’s life is looming ever closer.

Overall, this documentary is a must-watch. It’s a heart-wrenching one, but there are so many powerful moments to take away from it. The lessons about living in the moment and leaning on the people you love are more necessary than ever, and it’s safe to say even poetry-haters will get something out of it.

Amherst Cinema isn’t showing Come See Me in the Good Light anymore, but it can still be viewed with an Apple TV subscription, an Amazon Prime Video subscription, or a Roku Channel subscription. And check out Amherst Cinema’s current showings too, because they’re sure to impress with more hits like this.