Imagine for a moment that you are a bit like Heywood, 29 years old, unmarried, no children, with a promising career. You have your whole life ahead of you. But then you are diagnosed with a deadly disease. There is no cure. No treatment. No hope. The disease will not affect your mind, but it will completely shut down your body, until you can't even breathe on your own. And then you will die.

Filmed over a span of five years, So Much So Fast brilliantly profiles Heywood--who, at age 29, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), a neurological disorder that causes paralysis. Referred to as an "orphan disease"--the sort of ailment ignored by pharmaceutical companies because of a lack of profit potential in finding a cure--ALS is a grim diagnosis. But that does not stop Heywood and his family from attempting to do what has yet to be done: They set out to beat ALS. With the clock ticking, Stephen refuses to give in to the disease. He marries his girlfriend and they decide to start a family before ALS robs him of his mobility. Meanwhile, Stephen's brother Jamie, with no medical or scientific experience, starts a research center to find a treatment that will prolong his brother's life. But it is an uphill battle, and as the film progresses, so does Stephen's ALS, as we literally see him robbed of his ability to walk and speak, but not his desire to keep living.

Produced by Ascher and Jordan (whose mother died of ALS), So Much So Fast is a film of profound human emotion. But this is most definitely not a tragic disease-of-the-week movie. Rather, it is a stunning portrait filled with all the raw feelings that are a part of life, from pain and sorrow to joy and laughter. There is an endearing sense of humor in the film, as well a serious tone, and nearly every other emotion you can think of as the film explores depths seldom explored in most movies. The end result is a film that is not about dying, but rather a film that is about living.

Video:
So Much So Fast is presented in 16:9 widescreen. The picture transfer is very good, with consistent quality throughout.

Audio:
So Much So Fast is presented in Dolby Digital stereo. There is the option of listening to the film with either the original audio, which contains some strong language, or audio in which the profanity has been bleeped out.

Bonus Features:
There are six deleted scenes, none of which are that crucial, but do go a long way in further showing the lives of the Heywoods, and how the disease has effected all of the them. There is also a brief bonus scene that serves as a bit of an epilog to the film, which shows Stephen participating in an incredible program that actually hooks his brain into a computer, allowing him to control it with his thoughts. Sadly, nowhere on the disc does it mention that Stephen passed away last year.

Final Thoughts:
So Much So Fast was one of the most memorable films I saw several years ago at the Sundance Film Festival. It has stuck with me, and even though the subject matter can take a toll on people, I have never hesitated to recommend the film. This is a great film, with an incredible message about love, hope and perseverance.