7 Ways A Cure for Wellness Will Make You Question Your Own Health

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7 Ways A Cure for Wellness Will Make You Question Your Own Health

Have you ever watched a movie that left you feeling uneasy long after the credits rolled? A Cure for Wellness, a 2016 psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski, is one such movie. Set in a mysterious Swiss spa that promises to heal body and mind but hides dark secrets, the movie confronts the viewer with visceral imagery, enigmatic characters, and startling revelations. However, beyond its entertainment value, A Cure for Wellness can also serve as a thought-provoking mirror of our cultural obsession with health and wellness. In this article, we will explore 7 ways in which A Cure for Wellness will make you question your own health, and how you can benefit from this unsettling experience.

1. It exposes the double-edged sword of wellness culture.

On the surface, the spa in A Cure for Wellness embodies the ideals of wellness culture: a pristine environment, natural remedies, fitness activities, and a holistic approach to health. However, as the protagonist Mr. Lockhart (played by Dane DeHaan) discovers, the spa also imposes strict rules, surreptitiously uses drugs, engages in unethical experiments, and promotes a cult-like ideology. This duality reflects the paradox of wellness culture, which simultaneously promotes health and sells beauty, purity, and perfection, often at the expense of social and environmental justice, diversity, and authenticity.

2. It challenges the notion of progress and technology as solutions to health problems.

As Mr. Lockhart investigates the mysterious illness that afflicts the spa’s patients, he encounters a resistance to his rational and scientific approach. The spa’s director Dr. Volmer (played by Jason Isaacs) defends the use of archaic and mystical practices, such as hydrotherapy, eels, and eugenics, as superior to modern medicine. This clash highlights the tension between tradition and innovation in the realm of health, and raises questions about the limits of scientific knowledge, the ethics of experimentation, and the power dynamics of healthcare systems.

3. It explores the intersection of physical and mental health.

A Cure for Wellness blurs the line between physical and mental health, as the spa claims to heal not only physical ailments but also emotional and psychological traumas. Mr. Lockhart’s own past trauma, related to his work as a young executive in a ruthless corporation, resurfaces as he confronts the spa staff and patients. This theme resonates with the growing awareness of the mind-body connection in contemporary science and psychology, and the need for more holistic approaches to health that acknowledge the interplay between subjective and objective factors.

4. It exposes the commodification of health and the medicalization of life.

The spa in A Cure for Wellness operates as a profit-driven entity that markets health as a luxury product. The spa’s clients, mostly wealthy and privileged individuals, measure their worth in terms of their physical appearance, their ability to afford the spa’s services, and their conformity to the spa’s ideals. This elitism reflects the broader trend of the medicalization of life, whereby every aspect of human existence is framed as a medical or behavioral problem that requires intervention and regulation, often through drugs, devices, or surveillance.

5. It questions the efficacy and safety of alternative medicine.

The spa in A Cure for Wellness advocates for alternative medicine practices, such as hydrotherapy, acupuncture, and aromatherapy, as alternatives to mainstream medicine. While some of these practices may have some evidence of effectiveness, others are controversial or unsupported by scientific evidence. Moreover, the spa’s use of unconventional and untested remedies poses a risk to patients’ health and autonomy, as they may be coerced, misled, or harmed by unscrupulous practitioners.

6. It reveals the vulnerability and resilience of the human body.

One of the most disturbing scenes in A Cure for Wellness involves a grotesque experiment on a patient’s body, as the spa staff tries to extract a mysterious substance from her womb. This scene highlights the fragility and complexity of the human body, as well as its potential for healing, adaptation, and restoration. The movie also shows the transformative power of suffering, as Mr. Lockhart undergoes a grueling ordeal that tests his physical and mental endurance, but also allows him to confront his fears and find a way to escape.

7. It offers a cautionary tale about the pursuit of health at any cost.

Perhaps the most important lesson of A Cure for Wellness is the danger of the unbridled pursuit of health and youth, which can lead to obsession, addiction, and destruction. The spa’s clients and staff are trapped in a vicious cycle of denial, deception, and self-destruction, fueled by their fear of aging, disease, and death. Mr. Lockhart himself falls prey to this seductive illusion, until he realizes that the only way to truly heal is to face his past, accept his mortality, and embrace his imperfections.

Conclusion:

A Cure for Wellness may not be a movie for the faint of heart, but it certainly is a movie for the curious of mind. By deconstructing the myths and realities of modern wellness culture, the movie invites us to question our assumptions about health and illness, and to challenge the status quo of the healthcare industry. Whether you watch it for its artistic merits or its intellectual merits, A Cure for Wellness is a film that can cure you of your complacency and make you more aware of your own health journey.