How to Die in Oregon

Peter D. Richardson's HBO-aired documentary—winner of a Grand Jury Prize at Sundance—focuses on terminally ill individuals who take advantage of Oregon's status as the first state (beginning in 1994) to legalize physician-assisted suicide. There's a difference, however, between “physician-assisted” and “physician-administered”: those who qualify can lawfully request fatal dosages of barbiturates, but the doctors cannot actually help them end their lives. After opening with footage of a cancer patient named Roger Sagner—who drinks a life-ending barbiturate draught while insisting, “It was easy, folks!”—the film focuses on several people who experience a wide range of complex emotions during their final days. Most notable is Cody Curtis, a 54-year-old with liver cancer and a six-months-to-live diagnosis, who nevertheless carries on with a sunny outlook. And the grimmest irony lies in the story of Randy Stroup, a cancer patient who was angrily opposed to the notion of taking his own life; Stroup's insurance carrier decided to stop offering coverage for surgery and instead provided him with the option of paying for a doctor-assisted suicide. An intelligent, sincere film about a perennially debated topic, this is highly recommended. [Note: this is also available with public performance rights for $250 from Clearcut Productions, www.howtodieinoregon.com.] Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)