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Visitors Review

jcappy 2013-04-23 23:29:05

A Raised Fist--For the Patient

This TV movie rather weakly takes on the issue of big business,hospital ethics, and human health. I say "weakly" because the ending isjust too sugared for words, and because the only convincing momentsrevolve around the relationship of Dr. St. Clair (Louis Gossett), acardiologist, and Joe (Ron Hunter), his active, questioning,whistle-blower patient. The remainder of the cast is paid littleattention to and it is unconvincing, stereotyped, and thin. So one isleft with a few strong scenes, a few good ideas... but played in oragainst a sort of vacuous under-produced world so typical of TV movies.Give credit though for the protest here of the bypass surgery business,the failure of the corporate take over of hospitals and health, and ofthat "progressive" technology it promotes. But give more credit toactor Ron Hunter's most convincing moments when he puts the medicalestablishment in both its public and personal manifestations on trialAnd rarely, if ever, in movies do we experience so strong a view of thepatient's ordeal as against the doctor's "pressure." Now, I think backon it, Hunter delivers a kind of powerful manifesto on behalf of thecentrality of the patient---one that should not be forgotten andoverlooked. And for this, and for some good acting scenes from Gossett,the movie, I think is well worth viewing.