Extraordinary Measures
CBS Films
Just when I thought Hollywood couldn’t be more unindated with remakes, vampires, zombies and horror movies gone bad, a shift has taken place. Films based on true stores made a comeback in theaters two months ago, and moviegoers are taking notice and packing out theaters. Extraordinary Measures is the latest in the line of true stories made into movies, and in its first weekend it’s already proven the real stories of ordinary individuals is often more compelling to watch. It was released in the U.S. Jan. 22, raked in $7 million and came in No. 7 at the box office opening weekend. That’s not the extraordinary part of it, though. After a promo screening of it last week, the entire theater erupted in applause at the movie’s finale. That is definitely something Hollywood should note.
Extraordinary Measures is based on the book The Cure by Pulitzer Prize winner and journalist Geeta Anand. It follows the story of John Crowly (Brendan Fraser) and his wife Aileen (Keri Russell) as they set out to find a cure for two of their children, who are diagnosed with a disease with a 100 percent mortality rate and one whose victims only live to see age 9 at the very latest. When one of their children nearly dies, John gives up his job in the corporate world to seek out scientist Dr. Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford), whose drug theories related to the disease have been under the radar for years. John will stop at nothing to see Stonehill’s drug actualized, embarking on forming a bio-tech company with him and doing whatever it takes to save his children.
The movie is unpredictable and allows moviegoers to experience the emotions right along with the Crowleys. Just when it seems all will fail and tears are emminent, a glimmer of hope emerges, and the journey takes a new twist. What’s extraordinary about this film is watching an ordinary man sacrifice everything — his job, his reputation, his security, his friendships – to see his children live beyond the age of 9. It shows the lengths of love know no end. It also shows the ugly underbelly of the pharmaceutical world, where faces and people don’t matter; the bottom line is all that its executives care about.
Fraser truly shines in this role. His acting harkens back to the early ’90s when School Ties seemed a launching board to a wonderful acting career for him, before he chose campy roles over suitable choices. With this movie, it appears the actor in him re-emerged. He does a superb job portraying John Crowley and carries the weight of the emotional parts of the film well. Ford’s depiction of his character makes me think if Hans Solo had been left by Princess Leia and abandoned by Chewbacca, his character would have ended up as cranky Dr. Stonehill.
Extraordinary Measures is a solid film and a family film. The child actors portraying the Crowley children show a resilience — not rebelliousness – and the family dynamic is a positive one despite the circumstances. There’s nothing negative to say about the movie. At first I hadn’t planned on watching the movie, but now I’m glad I did. I’m also glad I was part of the experience of a theater packed with moviegoers showing their appreciation for the experience.
To view the movie’s trailer, click here.
