Every movie review is unique to me and Clouds is really that movie that I had to pause and play at different points to get my emotions settled and wipe my tears. This is a touching 2020 Disney movie that was inspired by a true life story that happened in 2013. Clouds is a movie I didn’t regret watching at all and it’s such a good movie to be reviewed at the beginning of the year.

At the beginning of the movie, we were introduced to a mother driving her high school son, Zach Sobiech, a cancer patient to his school’s concert where he energetically performed to the cheering crowd who loved his music. At the entire concert scene, some lines that popped to me were when Zach said ‘What some people take for granted, others are fighting for and believe me, I am a fighter’ and when Sammy failed to perform on the stage because she was afraid she would screw it up, she said ‘Some people are born graceful while some people are born to fall on their face’, I totally disagree.

That night, Zach and one of his school mates, Amy connected and scheduled a date (picnic). Unfortunately, that day he was suddenly scheduled for a surgery and he couldn’t show up at the date. Amy was displeased but life moved on. Zach got a bit better and resumed school. He resumed school with the knowledge that his cancer was at the terminal stage and he had just few months to live.

He lost zest for life especially when his teacher taught them how to write a college essay when he won’t be alive to make it to college. However, he found strength to live each day through his mother words that ‘none of us are really promised  tomorrow, we all just assumed it’s gonna be there …so maybe as much as it sucks , maybe this is a weird chance for you to decide what matters the most to you now’. In optimism for divine healing, the mother initiated a family vacation. They did go for family vacation in France and it was really therapeutic for Zach.

Zach asked Amy to be his prom date at a concert where he envisioned and desired to be an artiste performing to a crowd that would echo his song to him. Later at home that night, Zach had mild health crisis and after he had calmed down he went to Sammy’s house where we got to know that Sammy was crushing on Zach but she didn’t say it. Both friends moved on and Zach initiated making music with Sammy and they would upload it on YouTube. That night they created a song and uploaded on YouTube that generated 51 thousand views within a few days of upload.

Gradually, the singer duo got the media attention even as Zach’s became irritable as his time ticks because he wanted more from life before he dies. Zach’s school teacher , Milton advised him to re- prioritize because he had  limited time and there is so much more in Zach that the world needs to hear. That night, Zach became grumpy but he was shocked by his Dad’s surprise one week loan of expensive car to him. The excitement scene between the father and son was priceless as they drove in the car…as I watched this scene I felt happy and proud on behalf of the father.

The night progressed into spending time with Amy, his girlfriend but it ended on a sour note, due to his cancer state he was incapacitated to have sex with his girlfriend. He was overtly frustrated, Gosh, I felt sorry for him and I was afraid he would have an accident as he drove home in wild agitation.

Meanwhile, his parents were having their own sour episode of fight, how their son’s ill-health condition had affected their marriage. I felt sorry for them because their life doesn’t seem to be normal since they had been caring for their dying son whose days had been numbered by cancer. The father silently grieved about losing his son but the mother accused him of not caring enough about their son because he does not openly  express his grief or unhappy state. It was painful to see the father broke down in tears when he said ‘my boy is getting sick everyday and I can’t do a thing about it’.

Zach’s music got more attention even with record label that signed Zach and Sammy as Songwriters. On their way back home in the plane, while talking with his mother in the plane, Zach was  inspired to write the song ‘Clouds’, and it was produced in the studio. Boom! The song became viral on the internet and it got radio airplays even with calls for Zach and Sammy to perform at a big concert, the Metropolitan.

Amy and Zach reunited but life was short especially for Zach, death loomed nearer for him that he might not be alive by the prom date so his family planned to have the prom night, Metropolitan concert all packed in one night and one show for him. Zach’s body gradually shut down and it was almost like he won’t be able to perform at the Metropolitan concert but you know what? Zach is a fighter! He got up, dressed and with the assistance of his family arrived at the concert.

His performance was an electrifying, beautiful one that the crowd cheered him on then his body started to give way right on the stage as he performed.  He signaled that the meds and his family shouldn’t come to carry him on stage then the crowd started singing his sing ‘Clouds’. I tell you people, this scene was a really touching and beautiful one; the tears in my eyes freely flowed as I watched Zach’s momentary regain of strength when the audience’s voices echoed out his song in unison. In that instant, his life dreams and aspirations were fulfilled and some of his final words were ‘I know I’m gonna be remembered as a kid who went up fighting and didn’t lose’

Zach Sobiech died afterwards, leaving his loved ones and the world with beautiful memories. His mother found the college essay he wrote though he knew he wouldn’t live long to attend college. The movie ends with Zach’s monologue ‘You don’t have to find out you are dying to start living’. If you are a good observer, you would notice that the cloud had letter ‘Z’ formed in the last scene.

Zach Sobiech story, Clouds is a true life story that reiterates to me to make every moment of living count and be genuinely happy always.

Hope you had a pleasant read of Clouds movie review as much as I did while writing. I’m sure even if I watch this movie ten times, a tear will always find a way to escape from my eyes.

Cheers to living a fulfilling life, have a great week ahead guys.

Je t’aime mon ami