Talking Pictures

Rich Bonaduce reviews “Extraordinary Measures”

Rich’s Quickie: If you liked The Blind Side, they’re counting on you to like this.

Extra: It’s tough to dislike a film based on the true story about a father going to great lengths to find a cure for the genetic disorder affecting two of his children. The kids are dang cute, the unknown supporting cast will jerk a tear or two out of you, Keri Russell is great (but underused), and there’s a somewhat happy ending. So what’s the problem?

Ordinary: Basically, the direction and the casting/acting are problems. This has the feel of a made-for-tv movie, right down to the cloddy direction. For example, just in case you missed that his young daughter is 8 and kids with Pompeii Syndrome don’t live past 9, where going to slam home her age with a birthday party, and then with a whole bunch of reminders that SHE’S EIGHT. And when you need to know that Brendan Fraser’s John Crowley has been trying to get a hold of cranky Dr. Robert Stonehill (played by Harrison Ford), we’re just going to WRITE IT DOWN ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND SHOW IT TO YOU. Did you get that? Don’t worry; we’ll show it again. We’ll even blow the ending with the bit about Ford getting a new truck with our clumsy directional choices.
But that’s not all. Fraser is simply miscast. He’s the fun, action-hero guy, not this serious dramatic guy, and it shows when he has to emote. Then again, seasoned actor Ford is not much better. When he needs to be agitated, he simply RAISES HIS VOICE in a manner we’ve seen him do before with other characters. He’s supposed to be this self-centered, craggy genius; instead, he comes across as Harrison Ford yelling now and again.
But again, it’s an uplifting true story with a happy ending. It just shouldn’t been better casted, directed, and shown on Lifetime.

Movie Grade: C-

MPAA: Rated PG for thematic material, language and a mild suggestive moment.

Director: Tom Vaughan

Writers: Robert Nelson Jacobs (written by), Geeta Anand (book)

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