lastliberal This film was an audience favorite at Sundance, and it is easy to see why. I was captivated from the beginning and just could not turn away.The Taylors were 65 years old when they decided they wanted to hear for the first time. They managed to live their lives successfully (he is responsible for TTY) and raise three children, but they wanted to do more.They decided to get cochlear implants, and this film is the road to that operation, and how they adjusted to hearing. It is a feel-good film, not for any magical ending, but for our sharing in the lives of these two people and the love they had for each other.If you need some inspiration in your life, then this is the film to see.

Ruby Pedde This movie documents the writers journey with her parents so honestly that you really feel their emotions while watching this movie. I work with the deaf and found this to be very indicative as to what the deaf community faces when the decide whether or not to have this surgery done. The raw emotion of the writers parents will make you laugh when they laugh and cry when they cry. This is definitely a must see documentary. This documentary will also show the negatives towards getting a cochlear implant as well as the positives. I think that the daughter making this film is a wonderful tribute to her parents struggles and accomplishments. It also gives you an insight into hearing children being raised by deaf parents and how they adapted to it during their childhoods. Very good movie.

Sonetto I have just seen "Hear and Now" on HBO. I regret to say that my comments cannot be positive because anyone seeing this documentary would be profoundly discouraged about the possibility of a successful cochlear implant. It did not work for the couple in the film for a variety of reasons, none of which is discussed. It is much too easy for people to become discouraged because of this kind of movie. Here are a couple of experiences that have occurred that do not project the discouraging outlook of the people in the film.(1) One and one-half years (2006) ago one of my first cousins who had been profoundly deaf for at least 25 years had a cochlear implant. Her four sons tell me they are overjoyed that they can now carry on a conversation with their mother.(2) After my cousin's successful implant, I then told one of my best friends about the implant surgery. This friend had been unable to converse with others even with the most powerful hearing aids available. She and her husband had been misinformed by an audiologist about her eligibility for surgery. When she went to the hearing institute in the city we live in, physicians not only said she was eligible, but performed the procedure September 2007. This week-end my friend was at two parties given for one of my sons and she was able to engage in give and take conversation with all of the guests. She is now going to have an implant in the other ear.If I had seen this film and was eligible for an implant, I would have been terribly discouraged.The film did not present a balanced view.

policelia I have a daughter with a cochlear implant. Many of the difficulties portrayed in the film brought back memories of my own family's experience. It is unfortunate that the parents of the film maker received the implant at a later age than my daughter so were not able to get the most from the cochlear implant. Still the film adds insight into the enormous role hearing has in our lives including focusing on the important sounds and ignoring the other sounds. It is something most people take for granted and do not fully understand. The film maker really did a fine job in exploring these subtle insights and deserves high praise. I recommend it for all hearing impaired families as well as those who have been part of a relationship with a hearing impaired person. Mr. Holland's Opus explore many of these issues.