Austin Film Festival: Quality Problems

Quality Problems

Quality Problems takes the true story of Brooke Purdy’s battle with breast cancer and finds a way to turn it into a comedy.

Directed by Brooke & Doug Purdy from a script written by Brooke, the film stars Brooke, Doug, Max and Scout Purdy; Mo Gaffney, Chris Mulkey, Jenica Bergere, Ryan Bollman and Michael Patrick McGill.

There are not that many comedies about cancer because it’s not really a laughing matter.  The only cancer comedy that really comes to mind is 50/50.  Unlike the film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anna Kendrick, this cancer comedy is one that is spliced together from the home videos shot in 2008 during Brooke’s cancer battle and from new footage shot in 2015, with director of photography Savannah Bloch at the helm, from the screenplay that would follow.  The end result is a film that is funnier than anyone could have ever anticipated.  Because the Purdy family is essentially playing themselves on camera, they bring so much authenticity to the film because this is a story that they have lived.

On paper, Bailey (Brooke Purdy) and Drew Poster’s (Doug Purdy) life is one in which it’s hard to find the laughter.  Bailey has breast cancer.  If everything wasn’t tough enough for the Poster family, Bailey’s dad is battling Alzheimer’s, which only adds more unneeded stress to their life.  While it feels so painful to laugh at some of the things that happen to the Posters, it’s so hard not to!  As if they didn’t already have too much on their plate, they still have to plan a birthday party for their 8 year old daughter, Scout.  Throw in son Max confessing to know the truth about Santa and the humor only continues to add up.  A stressful life indeed and anyone who goes through all of this, real or fiction, should be commended.

Qualiity Problems is a film  that one should not be miss and make every effort to see if possible.  Cancer doesn’t have to be fought alone and one always needs to find laughter in their life even if it’s a struggle getting by day after day.  The Poster family doesn’t go at it alone even as Drew brings in some of his friends to help.

The first film produced by Metamorfic, Quality Problems is currently playing the festival circuit.  A distributor or release date has not been announced.  The film is currently playing at the Austin Film Festival, where it screens again on October 31, 2017.  For screening information, please click here.

Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.

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