Thank You for Playing

Thank You for Playing is a highly profound and compelling documentary that was released in 2015. You may be initially inclined to categorize it merely as a film about video games, given its primary subjects, but you would be quickly corrected by the unfolding narrative. At its heart, it's a film about the beautiful and tragic sides of life, art and human resilience. Directed by David Osit and Malika Zouhali-Worrall, the documentary tells an intimately touching story starring Amy and Ryan Green, and Josh Larson.

Ryan Green, a video game developer, resides in Loveland, Colorado with his wife Amy, and their four children. Ryan's whole professional career revolves around creating imaginary, digital worlds for an audience, but life hurls him and his family into a fight against an all-too-real enemy when they learn that his son Joel has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the heart of their ordinary family life, Ryan, Amy, and the rest of the family grapple with an extraordinary reality of impending loss that does not find an easy confluence with their lives' everyday rhythms.

As a means of coping with this harsh reality, Ryan, along with fellow developer Josh Larson, bridge the gap between art and life to create a video game based on their true story. Aptly named "That Dragon, Cancer", it morphs into an artistic reflection of their personal journey. It is through the making of this cathartic video game we see Ryan and Amy transcend the particulars of their experience into a universal story of love, hope, and compassion.

While literatures, musics and movies have long been recognized as channels for expressing personal journeys, Thank You for Playing sheds light on the relatively unexplored, yet burgeoning avenue of video games as a unique artform. The Greens lean into this art form not only as a means to navigate their pain, but also as a way to help others who might find themselves in similar situations. While this remarkable family braves the depths of despair, they nevertheless persist and exert every possible effort into building an aching, beautiful digital world that acts as both a tribute to Joel and a beacon of hope for others.

Thank You for Playing highlights moments of joy and sorrow, helplessness and resilience, reality and cybernetics all under the umbrella of humanity. Ryan and Amy are depicted not merely as grieving parents but as humans trying to cope amid an unimaginable loss, using creative expression as a shield during their difficult journey. Despite the heavy content and its emotional intensity, the documentary manages to make room for the joy and love to breathe, giving the audience cathartic moments in this complex tapestry of life, death, and everything in between.

As viewers navigate the documentary, they're given an inside look at the production process of "That Dragon, Cancer" while also being privy to deeply personal moments in the Green family's life. The contrast serves to amplify both the levity of their situation and the impactful raw honesty of their coping mechanisms.

In addition to dealing with the emotionally charged themes of grief and loss, the film touches on potentially controversial issues around the assertion of video games as a form of art. However, the directors Osit and Zouhali-Worrall approach these topics with considerable skill and finesse, resulting in a final product that resonates profoundly.

The beautiful cinematography adds another layer to the narrative. The film has a raw, intimate visual aesthetic, lending depth to every frame. The usage of color seems well-thought-out and serves to elevate the emotional spectrum of the film.

In summary, Thank You for Playing is a must-watch film. It is an emotionally evocative journey that takes the audience through the transformative power of art, love, grief, and human resilience. It tears down the misconceptions limiting video games as mere entertainment, opening the door to profound possibilities of their utilization as a unique and immersive means of storytelling. It is a moving documentary that expertly captures the universality of human experience and telling a deeply personal story with compassion and elegance.

Remember to have a box of tissues handy while watching, as this film is bound to move even the hardest of hearts.