Lorenzo's Oil (1992)

A boy develops a disease so rare that nobody is working on a cure, so his father decides to learn all about it and tackle the problem himself.

Director:

George Miller

Writers:

George Miller, Nick Enright

Stars:

Nick Nolte, Susan Sarandon, Peter Ustinov

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nick Nolte	...	Augusto Odone
Susan Sarandon	...	Michaela Odone
Peter Ustinov	...	Professor Nikolais
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Deirdre Murphy
Gerry Bamman	...	Doctor Judalon
Margo Martindale	...	Wendy Gimble
James Rebhorn	...	Ellard Muscatine
Ann Hearn	...	Loretta Muscatine
Maduka Steady	...	Omouri
Mary Wakio	...	Comorian Teacher
Don Suddaby	...	Don Suddaby
Colin Ward	...	Jake Gimble
LaTanya Richardson	...	Nurse Ruth (as La Tanya Richardson)
Jennifer Dundas	...	Nurse Nancy Jo
William Cameron	...	Pellerman

Storyline

Until about the age of 7, Lorenzo Odone was a normal child. After then, strange things began to happen to him: he would have blackouts, memory lapses, and other strange mental phemonenons. He is eventually diagnosed as suffering from ALD: an extremely rare incurable degenerative brain disorder. Frustrated at the failings of doctors and medicine in this area, the Odones begin to educate themselves in the hope of discovering something which can halt the progress of the disease.

---

Plot Keywords:

disease | boy | medicine | suffering | hope | 

---

Taglines:

Some people make their own miracles.

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for a child's life threatening ordeal

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

15 January 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un milagro para Lorenzo

Filming Locations:

Carnegie Mellon University - 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$7,286,388 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Don Suddaby (who plays himself in the film) is the actual London biochemist that has synthesized the pure oil (erucic acid) that was used to treat Lorenzo.

---

Quotes

Augusto Odone: Dr. Nikolias, what about the other boys, what results are you seeing in them?
Professor Nikolias: As with Lorenzo it's too early to tell. We need this study to run for the full six months.
Augusto Odone: And that would tell you what is obvious right now? That avoiding apple skins and pizza has no effect on this brutal disease?

---

Crazy Credits

During the credits pictures of children are shown, which were cured by "Lorenzo's Oil".

---

Connections

Featured in The 65th Annual Academy Awards (1993)

User Reviews

Turning misfortune into miracles; turning tragedy into triumph

This is the true story of Lorenzo Michael Murphy Odone, who, at the age of seven, suffered from a rare, incurable brain disease called ALD. The doctors said there was nothing they could do and that he would die within 24 months of diagnosis. Lorenzo's parents, Augusto Odone (Nick Nolte) and Michaela Odone (Susan Sarandon) decided to gather all the information they could find on their own. Day by day, night by night, from laymen to dedicated researchers, they discovered an awful lot more about the disorder than doctors and scientists. As Lorenzo's condition deteriorated, they never ceased to soldier on. Eventually, Augusto Odone solved the mystery and invented a prescription- a special form of olive oil which could help boys (the disease is passed on by the mothers to their sons, not their daughters) with ALD. Because of his contribution, Odone received an honorary medical degree. And at the age of fourteen, Lorenzo could make some movements and began trying to communicate with the outside world with a computer...

I wept several times when watching this film. Notwithstanding all the odds, the Odones struggled and conquered their misfortune, and their achievement was outstanding. This is an intense drama with fine acting and something to think about deeply.