Lucca's World Netflix Film Review

Bárbara Anderson (Bárbara Mori) is an expectant mother with all the jitters of a first-time pregnancy. She and her husband Andrés (Juan Pablo Medina) arrive at the hospital too early–but then her water breaks, starting the clock to when contractions get shorter, and it’s time to give birth. In the middle of all the pain and adrenaline of the moment, she passes out. When she comes to, she asks to see her baby. Her little one is in an incubator in an induced coma to soothe the swelling in his brain. As their baby Lucca (Julián Tello) grew older, it’s clear the brain swell affected him, leaving a scar behind and the effects of cerebral palsy to contend with. That does not deter his devoted mother, who will stop at nothing to make her son’s life easier, his father, who may doubt Bárbara’s methods but supports her in her quest, and his playful brother Bruno, who, despite all that’s happening, still tries to help Lucca in his own way. When Bárbara learns about a possible experimental miracle cure using a machine called a Cytotron out in India, she decides to risk it all for a shot at giving her son a better life. 

Mariana Chenillo’s touching family drama “Lucca’s World” is about one woman’s fight to get the best care for her son, but it is also about the precarity of healthcare access. Chenillo, whose previous directing credits include series like “Soy tu Fan” and “Club de Cuervos,” gives “Lucca’s World” a bright, hopeful visual style even when the going gets tough for the family, which can sometimes overwhelm the scene. Their apartment is colorful, and their tense journey to the other side of the world feels warm–even the Paris airport is shining with the sun streaming in as the family endures another health scare. But Bárbara believes in this, so she pushes on for the next 10-hour leg of the trip. 

Although “Lucca’s World” begins like a heartwarming tale of a family seeking a Hail Mary treatment against all odds, the story hits on some pretty grim realities. Co-written by Javier Peñalosa and Chenillo and based on the real Bárbara Anderson’s book Los dos hemisferios de Lucca, the movie begins with a disclaimer that some events have been dramatized for the screen. Still, other moments are just as they appear in the book. Both of Lucca’s parents face tough financial decisions after Andrés faces long periods of unemployment and Bárbara loses her job because of her devotion to her son. Lucca’s condition deteriorates, prompting Bárbara to look even deeper for anything that might help him, even if it means traveling around the world to seek an unverified treatment. Then, once the family does find the right doctor with the right equipment and they start to see the positive results of that treatment, they’re limited by their ability to travel thousands of miles and spend money they don’t have in the hopes of healing their son. Worse, there’s a shady doctor making their access to care even harder, at which point Andrés suggests that perhaps it’s best if not everything were a fight. No matter, Bárbara continues to fight for her son’s well-being. 

Although “Lucca’s World” features an unorthodox plot twist for these kinds of movies, the film itself is pretty unsurprising. Mori does admirable work as Lucca’s devoted mom, but her character blames herself for almost anything that goes wrong. It feels almost antithetical for Bárbara as we see she’s a fighter in almost every other scene. Yet, she stands down during some of the most necessary moments and asks no questions. Mori’s frequent onscreen co-star Tello gives a moving performance as her son, carrying the heart and soul of the story on his shoulders. Visually, Chenillo’s film doesn’t stand out, but it’s a pleasant enough story with a hopeful tone, celebrating each of Lucca’s victories, from holding on to the sides of the tub with both hands to kicking a ball for the first time to taking his first steps. As we see the real version of events over the credits, “Lucca’s World” leaves the audience with one more feel-good note to end on and the hopeful outlook of how yet-discovered future medical care can help children. 

Now on Netflix.

Monica Castillo

Monica Castillo is a critic, journalist, programmer, and curator based in New York City. She is the Senior Film Programmer at the Jacob Burns Film Center and a contributor to RogerEbert.com.

Lucca’s World

Drama
star rating star rating
96 minutes 2025

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