Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Savior Complex:
When good intentions go bad.
Quick synopsis:
The story of an American missionary in Uganda who basically starts her own hospital with no medical training.
Fact for Non-History People:
Missionaries first came to Uganda in 1877.
Fact for History Nerds:
About 4/5ths of Ugandans identify as Christian.
My Take on Savior Complex:
Hoo boy, there is a lot to unpack with this one. Let’s start with the basics. Renee Bach is from Virginia and decides to be a missionary in Uganda. While there, people start bringing her malnourished children and ask for help. She obliges. If we skip over the whole neocolonialism argument for a second (and don’t you worry, we will get to it), there is nothing particularly offensive about helping hungry babies. Sure, Renee has no medical training, but babies!
And since she’s already helping and more are coming in, it’s no big deal for her to just set up her own NICU. Oh, wait. Is it a big deal for a non-medical professional to act like one? But what if she has medical help…. sometimes? And what if an American nurse comes down to assist and tells her that what she is doing is ridiculously wrong and she needs to stop?
What if Renee doesn’t stop?
Back to the whole neocolonialism argument. There is an organization called No White Saviors in this documentary and, as you may have guessed, they are not fans of Renee. And while their name is eye catching, their stated purpose is to keep people from using Uganda as a publicity stunt and then disappearing. Nothing necessarily wrong with that, right?
Well, what if this organization becomes so focused on that goal that they become focused on publicity themselves?
I really enjoyed this documentary because it tells this story in a nuanced way. You will be enraged depending on your point of view. However, the documentary does not let the viewer off easy. It plays in the gray area by asking what is truly best for the people caught in the middle of this? Because the people who truly matter are the sick children and Ugandan doctors and nurses who are undersupplied. Does Renee and No White Saviors really have their best interests at heart? The best documentaries make you think, and this one does.
Bonus suggestion: Watch this with an actual medical professional sitting next to you like I did. Lady History Nerd and I binged this a month ago and I am pretty sure she is still mad.
Verdict:
A very well done and thought-provoking watch. Watch it here!
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