IN THE NEWS
IN THE NEWS
PRESS KIT
PRESS KIT
Press
Selected Press Coverage
"Jim Allison, the brilliant, stubborn, down-to-earth and hopelessly lovable title character of Jim Allison: Breakthrough, may not initially look the part of a superman. But by the end of this absorbing, gracefully constructed and deeply moving documentary, he will have audiences wanting to join the fan club and get the T-shirt. This is a “just see it” movie, as in: Forget flowery language, redundant synopsis, clever paraphrasing or hyperbolic praise. Just see the dang thing."
- Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
"As Breakthrough vividly illustrates, Allison — who’s currently Chairman of the Department of Immunology at Houston’s renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center — has made his mark by casting himself against type."
- Joe Leydon, Variety
"Haney paints a vivid portrait of Allison from boyhood to the present day, creating an empathetic hero for this true-life tale."
- Leonard Maltin, LeonardMaltin.com
"What shines through most in the film, though, is Allison’s dogged determination to find a cure for cancer, a quest that was—and continues to be—fueled by his repeated brushes with the disease and the loss of loved ones."
- Arthur N. Brodsky, Cancer Research Institute
“Breakthrough remains loyal to its academic source material in a way that's clear enough for any viewer to follow… [and] Haney seems to have made all the right filmmaking choices, from balancing the science and sentimental to picking his subject at the perfect time…”
- Nathan Mattise, Ars Technica
“Breakthrough demonstrates that the treatment is not a miracle, but the result of some wild but meticulous thinking by a true medical hero.”
- Caryn James, The Hollywood Reporter
“Breakthrough is an engaging and entertaining film because Allison is a fascinating subject. He’s blunt and honest and colorful.”
- Sophie Novack, Texas Observer
“In a field you’d never think of as having rock stars, Allison is a rock star of immunology. The filmmaker, Bill Haney, is a rock star among documentarians for bringing us this wonderful, hopeful film about a man and a Breakthrough achievement.”
- Bradley Gibson, Film Threat
“In a time when cynicism and skeptics run rampant, Breakthrough looks to offer a moment of comfort and hope via the story of Jim Allison.”
- Dino-Ray Ramos, Deadline Hollywood
Interviews and Additional Press
The Guardian - 'Some beautiful things are happening': behind Jim Allison's quest to cure cancer Allison is having fun and curing cancer
Salon - "Breakthrough's" James Allison is having fun and curing cancer
Sharp Magazine - "Jim Allison Won a Nobel Prize for His Cancer Breakthrough. But It Took Years for the Medical Community to Listen"
Los Angeles Times - Review: ‘Jim Allison: Breakthrough’ salutes a one-of-a-kind Nobel Prize-winning Texan
The New York Times - ‘Jim Allison: Breakthrough’ Review: Taking On Cancer
Boston Business Journal - Locally produced documentary on Nobel Prize-winning scientist, 'Breakthrough,' premieres Sunday
Culturally Obsessed - Bill Haney on his Doc ‘Breakthrough’ about Maverick Cancer-Fighting Scientist Jim Allison
Front Row Features - EXCLUSIVE: Filmmaker Trains His Lens on Unconventional Cancer Scientist
International Policy Digest - ‘Jim Allison: Breakthrough’ Review
Red Carpet Crash - Documentary Review: ‘Jim Allison: Breakthrough’
Film Threat - Interview with Director Bill Haney