The Medicine Show (2001)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Wendell Morris

Writer:

Wendell Morris (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A cynical young man, diagnosed with cancer, meets a brash young leukemia patient in the hospital who more than matches his distaste for IV drips and weepy sentimentality. |

Plot Keywords:

Cancer | Leukemia | Independent Film

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jonathan Silverman	...	Taylor Darcy
Natasha Gregson Wagner	...	Lynn Piegi
Greg Grunberg	...	Barry
Kari Wuhrer	...	Gwendolyn
Annabelle Gurwitch	...	Melissa
Maz Jobrani	...	Dr. Michel
Jason Lemons	...	Evin Darcy
Dennis Lipscomb	...	Dr. Votkiff
Patty McCormack	...	Janice Piegi
Norman Parker	...	Anthony Piegi
Mark Brodie	...	Gerald the Intern
Lisa Arning	...	Wet Dream Nurse
Tom Sheppard	...	Strolling Minstrel
Elizabeth Beckwith	...	Perky Woman in Elevator
Howard Mann	...	Mr. Melanoma

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Long Beach, California, USA

Company:

Medicine Show Productions

A rare little gem

I saw this movie on the DVD shelf at the supermarket, and since I like Natasha Gregson Wagner, I rented it without any specific expectations. It proved to be a very pleasant surprise.

Some other reviewer described this movie as a dark comedy. It isn't really that at all. Tasteful, light humor is used to make the audience more comfortable with the circumstances of the story, which is a story about people who deal with the circumstances of their lives in an unusually accepting manner. This movie is about people who have cancer, and while you would normally expect that the movie would be terribly depressing or would make you sob like a baby, it does not do that, nor does it make you feel sorry for these people. Rather, it makes you jealous of them for having an ability to appreciate life in a way that many people never really do. There are no cliché's in this movie. This is not your typical Lifetime Movie Network special. It is a very unique, original, well-scripted, well-directed, and well-acted joy of a movie that will leave you with a smile on your face. It was evidently produced by Showtime, but it is a better movie than 90% of the commercial crud that you see down at the neighborhood multiplex. It is well worth the cost of a DVD rental, and then some.