Charlie's in Charge #Review: Extraordinary Measures

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's Awesome Applesauce: Charles Quevedo

When I went to go see the movie, EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES, I went for the main reason of seeing the collaborative performances of both Harrison Ford and Brenden Fraser.  Both actors have amazed me in the past with their respective dramatic and action-adventure roles, so I was excited to see how they would perform.



EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES is based on Geeta Anand's book, "The Cure" (inspired by true events).  "John and Aileen Crowley" (played by actors, Brenden Fraser and Keri Russell) are an attractive and successful couple, with John being a fresh Harvard MBA graduate.  Two of their children, "Megan" (played by actress, Meredith Droeger) and "Patrick" (played by actor, Diego Velasquez) are stricken with the rare degenerativePompe disease (acid maltase deficiency) and are cared for by a home nurse when their parents are working.  With no drug currently on the marketplace for fighting the Pompe disease, all those born with it die by the age of 9.  With the deterioration slowly ravaging their kids, John and Aileen desperately tries to find a cure for them.  Through Internet research, John tracks down "Dr. Robert Stonehill" (played by actor, Harrison Ford), a brilliant but eccentric research scientist.  Dr. Stonehill's cutting-edge theories on curing (or at least slowing down) the Pompe disease are unfounded, but promising.  John uses his brains and connections to start a family foundation to fund Stonehill's research.  With John's savvy Harvard business sense and Stonehill's genius scientific mind, they form a start-up biomedical company together to develop the drug that will save the lives of John's children.  John must overcome overwhelming odds as he deals with many obstacles (fundraising, hard business decisions, conflict-of-interest questions, FDA rules and a time limit) that threatens his efforts.  As I watched this, it reminded me of of another movie, "Lorenzo's Oil" (which had a similar storyline).

Along with the newly formed CBS Films division, big Hollywood talent Harrison Ford co-produced this movie, which probably explains why this movie got greenlit for a theatrical release instead of it just being shown on cable television.  This movie definitely could've been made on a smaller budget with lesser known actors.  With Harrison Ford's name attached to this movie, EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES is nothing more than "a sheep disguised in wolf's clothing" (a Lifetime-type movie-of-the-week trying to be ambitious and more than what it is).

Brenden Fraser (known for his more goofy roles in comedies) surprisingly delivers a solid performance, switching between a corporate business man to a sympathetic father who helplessly watches his children grow weaker and weaker..  Fraser's performance is impressive , showing a much wider range than in his earlier movies.  It's his awesome performance that carries this movie (especially the scene where he breaks down emotionally behind the closed door of his office).

Meredith Droeger and Diego Velasquez , who play the two children in need of a life-saving miracle, look to be nothing more but props as they zoom around in motorized wheelchairs like little NASCAR speed-demons, looking all cute and adorable.

The most wasted talents in this movie are Keri Russell and Harrison Ford.  Russell is shown merely as somebody to listen to the frustrations of Fraser's character and to cry on cue whenever the odds are against them.  They could've done so much more with the "Aileen" character but they ultimately failed.  Ford is shown as antisocial, angry and cranky; growling and yelling like a child whenever anybody challenges his research.  It's a shame to see Ford's performances wither in strength over the years (I have to say that I loved his unforgettable performance in the movie, "Regarding Henry").  Ford just looks tired here.

Although I was confused by the business and scientific jargon (which often made me feel all Forrest Gump-ish) and disappointed by the Hollywood formula storyline, the dramatic performances are still heartwrenching enough to make your eyes well up with tears (yes, I cried at least once... I'll deny it if confronted in public).

Predictable, but worth seeing.


I give Extraordinary Measures a 7.5 out of 10 rating.




 

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