Darius Goes West (2007) User Reviews

Wonderful and Inspiring

[celeste-57 · 9/10 · 30 August 2007]

I saw this film at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, and there was not a dry eye in the house. It is incredible to see not only what a great person Darius is, but how admirable the rest of the team is too and at such a young age.

It also made me think how disgusting MTV was, and how on being given an opportunity to involve and inspire in a positive way, they declined. Shows you whether they really care about the youth and their viewers at all.

It's a wonderful and heart warming true story...take your tissues but it's great to see how caring and inspiring youth of today can be.

touching doc about living life with restrictions

[PaulyC · 8/10 · 5 August 2009]

This movie is a touching story about an adventure taken by 15-year-old Darius Weems. Darius has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a still un-curable disease that took the life of his brother at age nineteen and is the number one killer of babies in the United States. Him and a few close friends travel across the country to Los Angeles with the goal of getting his wheelchair customized on MTV's, Pimp My Ride, one of his favorite shows. The journey begins in Georgia, where Darius grew up and has never left. The gang head west for a trip that all its participants will never forget. Darius gets to ride in a boat for the first time, ride in a hot air balloon, swim in the ocean and visit sights he's always wanted to see like the Grand Canyon and New Orleans. The filmmakers here clearly have an emotional connection to the material. They make no money from sales of the $20 dvds. $17 goes toward researching the disease and $3 goes toward making more copies. The film has won over 25 awards at festivals and I agree with the quote given to the film by Variety, "Certain to stir hearts".

Amazing documentary, see it and tell your friends about it

[se7en187 · 11 June 2007]

I saw this at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan.

An amazing documentary, extremely powerful, this may be my favorite film of the festival. Darius Weems is a teenager that suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a fatal disease that is the lead killer of children. He and his friends travel in an RV across the country to California in order to convince MTV's Pimp My Ride to customize his wheelchair.

I'm so glad I saw this movie. It's such a spirited and uplifting film, the audience was huge and throughout the film you could hear a lot of people crying (I was too). This film needs to be seen. Not just for its greatness, but because not many people know about DMD and how fatal it really is. If this film makes it to a wider audience then more people will know of DMD and hopefully will help contribute to the foundations that are hoping to find a cure.

The film-making was excellent. Wonderfully edited and a terrific score, unlike other documentaries at the festival, this one always kept me interested and it never dragged. I congratulate everyone involved with this film. Everyone must see this film, so see it out and spread the word.

Two of the friends from the film were at the festival. They told stories of the trip and the filming. And they passed out postcards addressed to Oprah Winfrey, telling everyone in the audience to comment on the film and mail the letter out in hopes that she will pick it up and discuss it on her show. If that happens then it will be a huge step in spreading the word about DMD.

Here's the address that was on the postcard, so please, even if you haven't seen the film, write to this address, mention Darius Goes West, and hopefully the film will get more attention.

Oprah Winfrey Harpo Productions P.O. Box 909715 Chicago, IL 60607

And if you can't do that, go to Oprah's website and send an email about the film. Every letter will help.

the most moving movie i have ever seen

[jamieturbodog · 10/10 · 9 August 2007]

I have one word to someup this movie, WOW! I saw "Darius Goes West" at the Tribeca Film Festival. People in the theater were sobbing. This movie shows the hardships that Darius sufferes with Muscular Dystrophy. The movie was very well done and really made you part of the movie, I WAS SO emotionally moved by the movie because it made us remember that we are very fortunate to be perfectly healthy, some people in this world are less fortuate then us. And sometimes we should give them a had and help them, to the very end. I would give them ten stars, they gave Darius a had when they weren't asked to, they did't do it for the money they did it for a friend in need, Darius, the world should know, Darius went west.

Please go watch this incredible movie.

[mgkish742 · 10/10 · 9 April 2007]

Darius Goes West is an amazing documentary about a teenager (Weems) with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and his 11 friends who take him on a cross-country trip to see if "Pimp My Ride" will pimp out his wheelchair.

I recently watched this movie at the Sunscreen Film Festival. It played twice over the course of the festival. This movie is an amazing story about the human spirit, and the spirit of Weem's friends. I do not say this often about movies, but after watching this movie, I feel moved to do something towards the cause. Every festival this movie has taken part in, this movie has won an award of some kind. It is in the Tribeca Film Festival, and it is going to London and Athens, Greece. I would not be surprised if this movie went all the way to the Academy Awards. It is snowballing out of control. If anyone has a chance to see this movie, wherever it is playing, go! Take as many people as possible, and go! It is heading to New Orleans for a film festival, then on to Atlanta and Palm Beach, FL. Darius is from Georgia, so I expect the tickets for the Atlanta showing will be sold out quickly, if they are not already. Please, go see this movie! DGW (talk about it)

-Kish

Darius Highlights the Power of Youth

[kennethd55 · 10/10 · 9 August 2007]

"Darius Goes West" is the touching story of a brave teen coping with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy and his personal quest to see the Pacific Ocean. He receives help and encouragement from a group of young men who love and care for him while going on this quest.

The story has a natural drama and honest portrayal of the commitment of young people to help one of their own stricken with this incurable disease.

Anyone who thinks young people are self-centered and narcissistic will find this movie to turn that stereotype on its head. It is the power of the young people and their engagement with Darius' plight that is very compelling in this documentary.

Excellent movie - a must see for all students.

[jmsweeney5 · 10/10 · 12 August 2007]

Darius Goes West is a film depicting American belief that everything is possible if you try hard enough. This wonderful fun filled and sometimes heartbreaking film shows a young man who never expected, but longed to see, what was outside the confines of his lovely city of Athens, GA. Darius wished to see the ocean. His longtime friends Logan, Ben and several other good friends decided to make Darius' wish come true. They started small - Ben & Logan's mom started an email campaign to bring awareness to Darius' condition: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and to raise funds for the fellas to take Darius to not only see the ocean but to see these great United States. To say the young college buddies succeeded in bringing hope and awareness to this dreaded disease would be an understatement. They realized Darius' dream and then some. They put their lives on hold while showing love, care and tons of fun to Darius while helping Darius see how he can in turn show those same traits to others suffering from DMD. Darius went on to volunteer for the Red Cross - sitting in his chair collecting money (along with his buddies) outside a local grocery store. His wonderful smile tells the world that dreams do come true - all you need is hope and a group of college friends to support and care for you. Give Darius and all the guys an Oscar - no one else deserves it more. Martha Sweeney.

an extraordinary, transformative experience

[timinathens · 10/10 · 8 August 2007]

This movie documents a transformative experience for a group of young men, and the experience of watching it is in itself transformative for the viewer. Few movies even aspire to this level of transcendence, and I can think of no other movie -- documentary or drama -- that achieves it. There is no other movie in which I have both laughed so much and cried so much. Yes, it is about DMD and accessible travel; on those issues alone, it is a worthwhile venture, but it is more. It is about friendship. It is about life itself, about living every day that you're alive. And it's a great, fun, adventurous narrative. This is why God created the cinema! See this movie!!!

Uplifting, Encouraging, Heartwarming, Entertaining

[paamoth · 10/10 · 9 August 2007]

I tracked the trip two years ago on the internet - now I've seen the film!! What a ride! And what a trip to finally get to know Darius Weems! Such a courageous, wise, funny and talented spirit! And what a Crew! To listen to Darius laughing from being in the water at Panama City, to see his trepidation of being too close to alligators in Louisiana, the wonder in his eyes as he rode in a hot air balloon, the excitement of rafting through some rapids, the bet to eat a spoonful of wasabi, and the phone calls home, and as always - boys will be boys. This film needs to be seen by everyone - young and old alike. Darius and his mother are models of strength and courage. And the Crew members are testaments to the heart of the younger generation. They got Darius a new wheelchair; they documented accessibility problems; they took Darius on the trip of his life; and they touched many, many lives. By raising awareness of DMD and encouraging funding for research, this film will help accomplish the final goal of Darius Goes West - a cure for DMD.

A 'band of brothers' take their buddy Darius (and his ready-to-be-pimped wheelchair) on the trip of a lifetime

[janerubin · 10/10 · 9 August 2007]

This is a must-see documentary movie for anyone who fears that modern youth has lost its taste for real-life adventure and its sense of morality. Darius Goes West is an amazing roller-coaster of a story. We live the lives of Darius and the crew as they embark on the journey of a lifetime. Darius has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a disease which affects all the muscles in his body. He is confined to a wheelchair, and needs round-the-clock attention. So how could this crew of young friends possibly manage to take him on a 6,000 mile round-trip to the West Coast and back? Watch the movie and experience the ups and downs of this great adventure - laugh and cry with the crew as they cope with unimaginable challenges along the way, and enjoy the final triumph when they arrive back three weeks later in their home town to a rapturous reception and some great surprises!