Alive Inside - B

Unrated, 75 minutes

"Alive Inside" an uplifting, touching doc on the power of music

The inspiring, fascinating new documentary "Alive Inside" combines the power of music therapy and helping others with neurological disorders, primarily alzheimer's and dementia. Though limited in some of its scope, it's a powerful reminder of how the simple things can make a difference. This stirring documentary follows social worker Dan Cohen, founder of the nonprofit organization Music & Memory, as he fights against a broken healthcare system to demonstrate music's ability to combat memory loss and restore a deep sense of self to those suffering from it. Directed by Michael Rossato-Bennett, "Alive Inside" is an entertaining, yet thought-provoking portrait of an unconventional therapy that seems to work wonders on patients with brain disorders such as alzheimer's because the part of the brain that processes and remembers things such as music is the last part of the brain to be affected by such diseases. Cohen and his group spend time in retirement centers and other areas passing out iPods to affected patients and then see the wonders it works to briefly transport them to another place mentally, restoring some joys of their previous life. To see a man take off the iPod and then tell his wife he loves her or a patient named Denise with extreme brain disorders become overwhelm with emotion, makes you feel that the therapy does work. But with limited research and a system flux with medication and red tape, it's effectiveness may be short-lived, something that "Alive Inside" fails to explore with much detail. Still, "Alive Inside" is packed with many affecting, moving moments and allows you to be thankful for the simple moments.

Wes's Grade: B