GABBY GIFFORDS WON’T BACK DOWN – Review

GABBY GIFFORDS WON’T BACK DOWN is an uplifting, inspiring documentary about a woman who truly knows what it means to overcome: former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords, who was shot in the head by a would-be assassin. Although few even survive such as injury, Giffords not only did survive but made a remarkable recovery, regaining an ability to speak and walk, although she remains partly impaired in both. Much of the credit for her amazing recovery has to go to her own indomitable, optimistic personality – and a remarkable sense of humor – but it is also due to the unwavering support of her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, now an Arizona senator.

Gabby Giffords certainly won’t back down, as directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West show us in this uplifting, even joyful documentary. Cohen and West were the documentary team behind the excellent documentary RBG about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and bring that same skill for storytelling about a strong woman to this film.

It is a heckuva comeback tale, backed by a bouncy soundtrack (including that Tom Petty song in the title). Documentarians Julie Cohen and Betsy West focus less on the assassination attempt that nearly took Giffords’ life (although it is included) than on Giffords’ career and life before that shooting, then detailing her amazing recovery from a brain injury that would have killed most, and then on to her work against gun violence since the attack, along with her husband Mark Kelly.

Using archival footage and interviews with friends, family, and colleagues, the documentary goes over Giffords’ early life and how her budding career in economics was interrupted when her family needed her to return home and run their faltering tire business. The documentary’s footage includes some commercials that the young Giffords made for the business, showing the bubbly personality that made her immensely popular in her hometown of Tucson, and made the business a success. When the family finally sold the business, they did quite well and by then Gabby had made a name for herself, and that popularity that made a run for public office a natural choice. After serving in the Arizona House and Senate, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Giffords was at a constituent meet-and-greet in a shopping center near Tucson, Arizona in 2011 when she was shot in the head at point-blank range. Eighteen others were shot during the attack and six died, including a nine-year-old girl. Giffords’ injury was so severe, she was reported dead at one point, and few expected her to live, much less recover.

Yet she did live, and recovered much more than anyone would have expected. The documentary shows footage her husband Mark Kelly took to record her recovery, video which he shot so she could see how far she had come, as he knew she would not remember it due to her brain injury. It is some of the documentary’s hardest footage to watch, as Giffords struggles to even respond to those around her in the hospital, but the video does give us a true picture of how very far she was able to come in her recovery. It also offers glimpses into the amazing things that physical and other therapy can do, but watching these intimate moments, one has the feeling of intruding on something private. However, the film then shows Gabby herself watching that footage, and instead of winching or looking uncomfortable, she is laughing at herself. It turns out to be the perfect illustration of her incredible, upbeat personality, as well as how far she was able to come in recovery.

Giffords’ sense of humor, and her ability to laugh at herself, buoys the film, as does it’s catchy soundtrack, which includes some of her favorite songs as well as well-chosen selections from this skilled pair of women filmmakers. The filmmakers bring the same kind of magic to this project as they woven into the story of Ruth Bader Ginsberg to this story of another strong woman, and one that, like RBG, comes with a love story.

This is also an inspiring, heartwarming documentary about a marriage. Mark Kelly’s rock-solid support for his wife is sterling, but he also take up the political work she cares so deeply about, running for office after retiring from NASA, Together they also form a foundation to work against gun violence. However, as Giffords makes clear – and as would be expected in a native Arizonan – Giffords is not anti-gun and is a gun-owner herself but the couple are determined to address the issue of gun violence, as they work together for gun safety laws and on other issues they care about. While there is some discussion of that topic, the main focus of the film is not political but personal.

The filmmakers time and again spotlight her indomitable, upbeat personality, her positive, determined approach to challenges, and her refusal to back down from her life’s work. It also shines a wonderful spotlight on her bond with her husband Mark Kelly. Gabby’s ordeal also forged a bond with Mark’s daughters from his previous marriage, who had been cool to their dad’s new wife before the shooting. Watching her battle to recover, and seeing their dad’s devotion to her, changed all that and the family is now close. The couple are very much a team. A scene of Giffords coaching Kelly in political speech-making is particularly funny and warm.

With interviewees including President Barack Obama, Julie Cohen and Betsy West take us on an inspiring, hopeful journey, spiked with perfectly selected tunes that help illustrate their points and make this a more enjoyable film than you expect from such a tragic start.

GABBY GIFFORDS WON’T BACK DOWN offers us hope, with its inspirational, warm salute to an unstoppable woman, who won’t give up no matter what.

GABBY GIFFORDS WON’T BACK DOWN is available streaming starting Friday, Aug. 12.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars