Shouldn’t he be named “Matt” or “Russell” or “Bob” or something? Isn’t that how the joke goes? I don’t know the “no arms and no legs” set-up that ends with the punchline of “Nick.” Regardless, Nick Vujicic is an inspiration and nothing shy. That guy is the best! And I kinda wish he’d spoken at something I once attended.
Born with tetra-amelia syndrome, Nick lacks arms and legs and has for his entire life. I’m told he was depressed and even suicidal, but very little of that comes off on film here. Nick was born to be an inspirational speaker. He is living his exact best life in the exact best way he should. Even as a child, Nick showed a bouncy enthusiasm towards life. He really has no external limbs. He does have a small foot-like appendage, and gets a ton of mileage out of that thing. Writes, kicks, hops, types … that utili-foot does everything. Hey, if you had only one working appendage of any kind, you would probably get a lot of mileage out of it, too.
The tale of this almost ridiculously normal human being is told in full detail in the documentary: No Limbs No Limits: The NickV Story. It shows Nick as a kid. It shows Nick as a teen. It shows Nick as an adult. It shows Nick at Nite. What it doesn’t show is almost as telling as what it does. Does it show a jealous sibling? No, only a supportive one. Does it show frustrated and tired parents? No, only supportive ones. Does it show the relentless teasing the kid MUST have received at school? No. Apparently, Australian children are the models of modicum and supportive behavior.
Oh, this a God thing, isn’t it?
Yup. It sure is.
Not that such matters. No Limbs No Limits: The NickV Story was a fairly one-note documentary even before we learn the man preaches the gospel (because of course he does). Stepping back, Nick Vujicic is an inspiration. I want to make that clear. When you see him speak, there will be people moved to tears. He asks his audience to come up and hug him after his oratorial sessions. Damn right, I’d be first in line. My heart goes out to the kid/teen/man who can look at the world, see that it isn’t made for him, and go about every day with a smile and a promise anyway. Given the same limitations, I’d find it hard to get out of bed in the morning, both figuratively and literally.
Nick might just inspire somebody to cure cancer one day. And I would never want to stifle that.
Well, my readers, you knew this was coming. That all said – this documentary is as one-note as documentaries get. The people who made it got so wrapped 
up in the inspiration they didn’t notice that they’d squeezed twenty minutes of material into an hour-forty-two. And they clearly had an agenda, and being that agenda is evangelical in nature, I can’t help but wonder if it involves White Supremacy, just like every other evangelical agenda. Is that fair? I don’t care. Not if evangelicals keep preaching for Trump.
But I digress.
What’s important here is that this film gets awfully dull after a while because it doesn’t really have a controversy or a different gear. What I do not understand is why this film isn’t a documentary short. The message would be exactly same, as would the action. And, as a short, it might get Oscar recognition. I doubt very seriously Oscar will take this film seriously at 102 minutes. I’m giving No Limbs No Limits a pass because this is a biography of a man who will inspire people. There’s no question of that. Is that good enough for you? Maybe if you’re not me.
There once was a limbless man, Nick
In a butt-kicking contest, he’d lose quick
But not to be daunted
While true peers appear haunted
This kid treats optimism as his shtick
Not Rated, 94 Minutes
Director: Matthew Thayer
Writer: <Life>
Genre: Special assembly material
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: People with more patience than me
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: The powerful “anti-inspiration” lobby
