Saffron Cassaday has struggled with ulcerative colitis for years, and it’s affected her life in ways that she could have never imagined. She’s constantly asking for new prescriptions, she’s often researching new ways to curb her symptoms, and now, after stumbling across a process called Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT), she feels that she may just have found the solution to all of her problems. With the help of her partner, Al Mukadam, she plans to funnel his feces into her body, hoping to right the wrongs of hers.
Cassaday approaches this controversial topic with gusto, but even better, she approaches it with maturity and a level of expertise that allows viewers to buy into it for the majority of the film. It would be easy for viewers to laugh at the idea of sharing your poop with someone, even a loved one, with the intention of making that person healthier–but that’s what Designer $hit is about. So, from the very beginning, before she even gets into the dirty details of the process, Cassaday has to ensure that she expresses the legitimacy of the process and its potential positive effects. She does this, and regardless of what Designer $hit tells us about the process going forward, Cassaday does a stellar job of introducing the topic and allowing viewers access early on.
My beef with the film is that it feels so scripted, like most of the lines (particularly those by Al) are completely fabricated. I don’t think that Cassaday is lying by any means–but everything seems exaggerated to help express emotion or to better appeal to viewers. I don’t like the idea that filmmakers are trying to manipulate me during a documentary. Cassaday does a wonderful job of explaining all that is taking place, of never taking sides, of allowing viewers to form their own opinions throughout the course of Designer $hit–so there’s no need to fabricate dialogue. What that does is simply dilute the content and the emotion present in the film. That’s exactly what it does, and there were times during Designer $hit when I was forced to question the validity of the things being said as a result.
That really is the one and only issue present in the film, at least in my opinion. Cassaday does a lot of wonderful things to convey her message–and including animations to present this story to viewers from time to time is maybe the most important one. The reality is that most people don’t want to see literal shit strewn across the screen, and with that Cassaday and her team need to find a way to supplement the story and bring it to life in a visually effective way. Designer $hit sees simplistic, but entertaining and effective visuals bring Cassaday’s story to life–and it feels like it was the best way to do it.
Who wants to hear someone talk about their shit for over an hour? If you had asked me that an hour ago, I would have said no one. However, after watching Designer $hit, while it still may not be many people that want to hear about this, I believe the film will certainly reach viewers. Cassaday gives viewers a reason to care, she imparts knowledge, and she ultimately leaves them with something to think about once the film has concluded. Designer $hit is a successful venture into the world of poop, and an effective documentary.
Written & Directed by Saffron Cassaday.
Starring Saffron Cassaday, Al Mukadam, Carolyn Edelstein, Mark Smith, Alexander Khoruts, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
Comments