Romantic comedy puts muscular dystrophy in spotlight

When was the last time you saw a film starring an actor who has muscular dystrophy?

Never, right?

That can change on August 15 when the independent film “Good Bad Things” opens in AMC theaters in cities across the nation, including Boston. MDA, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, has taken the unusual step of promoting the opening because the health nonprofit organization sees the film as important for the general public and people with disabilities.

“I got very emotional. It was the first time I saw a film on the big screen starring someone who resembles me,” said Mindy Henderson, MDA vice president of disability outreach and empowerment, and editor-in-chief of MDA’s Quest Media, who attended an advance screening.

The movie could be described as a romcom with depth. It stars Danny Kurtzman as Danny, a 30-something guy, who, with his best friend, housemate and business partner Jason, runs a struggling web design and marketing outfit. Danny hopes to land a big account to put his business back in the black, and shoots for a contract to rebrand an established dating app. With the encouragement of Jason, he ends up meeting someone on the app.

Henderson praised the role of Danny for going beyond stereotypes of disabled people.

“He’s also an entrepreneur, he’s a friend, he’s a boyfriend,” she said.

Kurtzman has FSHD (facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy), one of the three most common forms of muscular dystrophy, a group of neuromuscular diseases. FSHD progressively wastes skeletal muscle, according to the MDA. He’s severely affected, unable to walk, and relies upon a scooter to get around. The film doesn’t portray Danny as a pathetic invalid, nor does it gloss over the difficulties presented by his disability. The camera doesn’t shy from showing his thin and bony body, either, but welcomes us to embrace its reality, especially in a scene with Danny’s romantic interest, Madi (Jessica Parker Kennedy), a photographer.

“The photo shoot – she captured Danny in so many beautiful ways,” Henderson said.

A Love Story

In a separate interview, Kurtzman described the film as “a love story that all of us disabled get to witness.”

That love story includes the deep friendship Danny has with Jason, which draws upon the real-life friendship of Kurtzman and Shane D. Stanger, the film’s writer and director.

“The on-screen chemistry with Brett (Dier, who plays Jason) was filmed “while my best friend is behind the camera,” Kurtzman said.

The film is Stanger’s first feature-length film and Kurtzman’s first acting role. Kurtzman contributed to writing the film. Actor, writer and producer Steve Way, who also has muscular dystrophy, brought his experience in TV series and film shorts by signing on as executive producer.

Kurtzman said Stanger approached him after shooting his first venture, a short film.

“I want to shoot a feature and I want to do it with you,” Stanger told him, Kurtzman said. “I saw it as an opportunity.”

The film mines much of Kurtzman’s life, adding to its authenticity. He’s an entrepreneur with experience in retail and fashion, having co-owned and supervised branding for Ezekiel clothing, built a menswear business, Alday Denim, from the ground up and advises companies on branding, marketing and operations via his new business, Now House. Danny’s beautiful California home in the movie is no set.

“That’s actually my house. We took the indie approach. Didn’t have the budget to rent locations,” he said.

So, they used Stanger’s house, too, area bars and restaurants, and employed the assistance of friends.

This Writer’s Reaction

As someone who also has FSHD, I found the movie entertaining and moving. A scene with Danny, Madi, Jason and friends partying at a desert home is hilarious. I related to Danny’s pulling on sheets to sit up in bed and his wariness at going to a friend’s place because it would require someone carrying him up a bunch of stairs. His anxiety over his disability repelling potential dates resonated with my own issues with body image and self-acceptance.

The movie’s message that love is worth the risk of failure, and reluctance to try is itself a sort of disability hampering anyone from living a fuller life, makes the film relatable to the general public.

“I think we all get in our own way,” Kurtzman said.

“We are in control of what we can do and not do in this world.”

That thought was echoed in an email from Sean Horrigan, DO, FAAN, medical director of Neurologists of Cape Cod, at the Trachsel Neuroscience Institute in Hyannis, MA, part of Cape Cod Healthcare.

"People with neurological illnesses, such as muscular dystrophy, can live full and meaningful lives. While they may face unique challenges, they also experience joy, fulfillment, and connection like anyone else,” he wrote. “With proper support, adaptive technology, and access to resources, individuals with these conditions can pursue their passions, build strong relationships, and engage in their communities. It’s essential to focus on their capabilities rather than limitations, celebrating their resilience and the joyfulness they bring to the world."

‘Last Man Standing’

Henderson said other groups have gradually won representation in film and entertainment media. Now it’s disabled people’s turn.

“Race and gender and weight have gotten a lot more air time,” she said.

“Disability is kind of the last man standing.”

One in four Americans live with some sort of disability, and they need to be seen and accepted to be fully incorporated into our society, Henderson said.

“Leaving us out of the entertainment industry leaves us out in a lot more ways,” she said. “It affects employment and fashion and accessibility in our society.”

Henderson praised Kurtzman’s acting in the film for showing Danny’s vulnerability in dealing with emotions most people might struggle with when dating, including overcoming having been burned in a past relationship. Another common concern: appearance in an app profile pic and personal description. Danny wonders how much he should reveal and worries if a potential date will accept his body and its limitations.

Spreading the Message

It’s been two years since shooting of the film began, and it has won awards at several festivals. Now MDA and the group behind the movie hope to sell Hollywood on the viability of this sort of film by packing AMC theaters at its August 15 national debut. The FSHD Society is also encouraging its members to see the film.

“There is an appetite and demand for this kind of film,” Henderson said, adding that she would like to see “more and more films made by and starring people with disabilities.”

Kurtzman said he believes “we created something that is powerful, that needs to be seen.”

If the movie does well, there are plans to eventually move it to a streaming platform to reach a bigger audience, he said.

“I see this having a long life,” he said. “Hollywood has been trying to do things for disabled people and, honestly, I don’t think they know how.”

“Good Bad Things” will “show what Hollywood can really do when they get behind us,” Kurtzman said.

Tickets can be bought in advance via https://www.goodbadthings.com/