ReelBob: ‘Courageous Warriors: Beauty from the Ashes’ ★★★½

By Bob Bloom

“Courageous Warriors: Beauty from the Ashes” is an inspirational documentary about women who have not only conquered breast cancer but have used their experiences and knowledge to pay it forward — helping others who are traveling that path.

The movie, narrated by Dee Wallace, who also serves as an executive producer, lives up to its title.

The women interviewed do not consider themselves victims. They see themselves as fighters against their cancer by not letting it define them.

The subjects vary in age from women in their 20s to a 40-year survivor. Yet they all have shared experiences — from the emotional reactions — fear, anger, surprise — when learning of their diagnosis to the traumas of partial or complete mastectomies to dealing with the effects of chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Producer-director Darla Rae’s movie is filled with emotional honesty as these survivors — one of whom is a man (and, yes, men can get breast cancer) — display their strength, resilience and defiance to the hand they have been dealt.

“Courageous Warriors” follows the steps from diagnosis to treatment to the emotional after-effects in which these women must face and cope with the changes to their bodies. They not only related how they have come to accept themselves but have worked to make others acknowledge them for whom they now are.

Rae also interviews family members and caregivers who discuss the emotional toll of not only being helpless as their loved ones endure various medical procedures, but the responsibility they have taken on to help care for them when they return home and coping with the stress of that trust.

More importantly, they talk of enduring love and how cancer and its aftermath cannot alter their feelings toward their loved ones.

The movie also explores programs such as Personal Ink and Hope Held by a Horse that connect breast cancer survivors and give them emotional support.

Personal Ink, especially, is an interesting concept in which tattoo artists create designs they apply to breasts to not only cover the scars of surgery, but to bolster and dignify these survivors.

Despite the subject matter, “Courageous Warriors: Beauty from the Ashes” is a positive experience, sending the message that cancer is not a death sentence. It also encourages those with cancer and their families to be advocates and to reach out to others for help and support.

It is a movie that shines a much-needed light on what many consider a dark subject.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap substack and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

COURAGEOUS WARRIORS: BEAUTY FROM THE ASHES
3½ stars out of 4
Not rated, language