Extraordinary Measures (2010)

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

"Extraordinary Measures" is a modern hero story about medical research to fight a rare disease. Only, the big heroes in this story aren't the doctors, scientists or researchers. Some ultimately have a hand in it, of course, but the heroes in this story are a mom and dad who want to save their children. The basis for the film is a 2009 book by Geeta Arnand, a Pulitzer Prize author and journalist who writes for the Wall Street Journal. "The Cure" is subtitled, "How a Father Raised $100 Million and Bucked the Medical Establishment in a Quest to Save His Children." It's about the efforts of John Crowley and his wife, Aileen, who fought to get the research done to develop a cure for Pompe's disease. Two of their three children had the rare disease. In the movie, John Crowley digs to find research on the disease. He travels from Oregon to Nebraska to meet the leading researcher in the field. He finds and challenges venture capitalists, and prods pharmaceutical interests. He sacrifices everything in the hope of finding a medicine that will keep his children alive beyond age nine. The movie screenplay creates a fictional character, Dr. Stonehill, who is a leading researcher on the disease. Sources say his character is based on one or two real life people who were involved in the story. Harrison Ford plays Dr. Stonehill. In a bonus documentary on the DVD of the movie, producer Michael Shamberg talks about Ford's role. Shamberg says, "He's rewritten the scientific language so it's completely accurate, and he will sound to real scientists like a real scientist. That's how methodical and serious an actor he is."The acting is excellent by all of the cast in this film. Three actors give superb performances. Brendan Fraser plays John Crowley, Keri Russell plays Aileen Crowley, and Meredith Droeger plays their daughter, Megan. At times, one wonders at John Crowley's restraint when faced with one roadblock after another. Fraser emotes the frustrations and angst yet keeps his calm and goes off to tackle the new problem. It's almost unbelievable that he wouldn't lose his cool at times. On the other hand, it's a mark of his love for his family and dogged determination to work within the system to get results to save the lives of his children.This film reminds one of "Lorenzo's Oil" of 1992. Except that, in this case, the disease has handicapped the children, so that the parents have more restraints and pressures. "Lorenzo's Oil" received widespread acclaim from critics, and received two Academy Awards nominations. However, it didn't even recover one-third of its $30 million budget in the U.S. box office. Nearly two decades later, "Extraordinary Measures" fared somewhat the same - even a little worse. Some top critics praised it but the larger media-dominated field rated the film low. It received no Oscar nominations. Yet, the lead performances were as good or better than those that were nominated for 2010 awards. It recovered just over a third of its $31 million budget in its U.S. box office, and only half in its worldwide gross. One wonders at the low appeal of such films with audiences since the late 20th century. Are people no longer interested in these types of uplifting, positive stories? Are people no longer moved by struggles to overcome challenges for life? Is society moving away from life, hope, sacrifice, work and love? Let's hope not. Let's hope that the obvious shift in film output from Hollywood is not a harbinger of society today - or that of the near future.Here's a favorite line from the movie. John Crowley has told a business friend of his plan to quit his job to work full time to try to find a cure for his kids. The friend tries to talk him out of it. Crowley says, "Hey, you're right! This is crazy. I'm chasing the wind. But I can't just sit around and wait for my kids to die."

The film Extraordinary Measures is a pretty good film based on the true story of a guy named John Crowley, who has two kids affected by a genetic disorder that is destined to take their lives at a young age. He eventually succeeds in getting research on an experimental treatment that could potentially save his kids' lives, partnering with a gruff scientist who has possibly solved the mystery of the disease. This movie is *not* the deepest film, and is in some manner fairly predictable, but the storytelling is well done, the acting is strong and overall the film succeeds in drawing in the audience.For an interesting counterpoint AFTER you've watched the film, check out Roger Ebert's review of "Extraordinary Measures", in which he details who the actual scientist was and a few more interesting tidbits.

Sure, it isn't entirely accurate, but can't we just rejoice that Megan and Patrick (played by child actors Meredith Droeger and Diego Velazquez)had their lives saved? Yes, they really did have Pompe Disease, and yes, their dad (Brendan Fraser) really did quit a good job in the search for a cure. No, there was no Dr. Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford) but the character was apparently a composite of a number of doctors the Crowley family dealt with as they searched for an effective treatment. Basically, "Extraordinary Measures" is a feel-good movie that touches the heart, if you let it. It doesn't really bother me that some of the details of the story were changed. The point is that the main part of the story (the search for and discovery of the treatment) is true enough. Everybody in the cast performed their parts well, and I thought Fraser was superb and completely believable as the devoted dad of the two sick children.And, over the course of the movie, you actually learn a lot about Pompe Disease, and you also get an introduction to the ethical dilemma in the pharmaceutical world between looking for cures and treatments for diseases while at the same time being driven by the desire for profits. It's jarring to sit in on a meeting, for example, and realize that in this context the meaning of "acceptable loss" isn't measured in mere dollars and cents but is rather measured in the lives of children.I'm not really sure what there would be not to like about this movie. Ford's composite character was perhaps a bit too gruff and stereotypical as the researcher who doesn't really relate well to people, and maybe the pacing of this is at times a bit slow, but basically, what's not to like about a feel-good movie about a couple of sick children who beat the odds and survive? (9/10)

This movie has helped me so much, as a 18 year old who is starting a business this movie has gave me so much inspiration. Any business person or someone who is going to go in to business needs to watch this movie, I tell you now it will help you so much. The process of needing something but not being able to get it because you have to cross a mountain or two. This is the same as starting a business, its very stressful however if you believe in your self and you have a drive to succeed then you should not let anything stop you and this is what the whole movie is motivating. Motivation and Drive to Succeed!Best Regards, Sufian Hassan