Thymaya Payne's documentary focuses on the loving friendship of two adults with cerebral palsy—Warren Barrow, an 83-year-old black man who's able to talk but not walk, and Cory Ann Rudy, a 36-year-old white woman who can walk but not talk. Love Limits offers a stark view of their very different childhoods while struggling with their disabilities. Originally from Brooklyn, Warren was abandoned by his parents in the 1920s and raised by the members of an African-American church missionary group (Warren is not even aware of his date of birth—no birth certificate has ever been located). Cory grew up on her mother and father's farm in upstate New York, where the local community was actively involved in a rigorous therapy treatment called patterning that ultimately saved her body from paralysis. The title of the documentary stems from Cory's attitudes: she's deeply possessive of Warren and becomes upset if someone else pushes his wheelchair when she's nearby; she even wants to marry Warren—a possibility Warren has not encouraged (not the least because of the age difference and his concern that she would not be able to take proper care of him). Also incorporating commentary from Cory's family and Warren's caregivers to augment the footage of their life together, Love Limits offers an interesting portrait of the unique challenges facing the couple and those close to them. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Love Limits
(2010) 41 min. DVD: $248. Icarus Films. PPR. Closed captioned. Volume 27, Issue 1
Love Limits
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