Extraordinary Measures (2010)

A drama centered on the efforts of John and Aileen Crowley to find a researcher who might have a cure for their two children's rare genetic disorder.

Director:

Tom Vaughan

Writers:

Robert Nelson Jacobs, Geeta Anand (book)

Stars:

Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell, Harrison Ford

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brendan Fraser	...	John Crowley
Harrison Ford	...	Dr. Stonehill
Keri Russell	...	Aileen Crowley
Meredith Droeger	...	Megan Crowley
Diego Velazquez	...	Patrick Crowley
Sam M. Hall	...	John Crowley, Jr.
Jared Harris	...	Dr. Kent Webber
Patrick Bauchau	...	CEO Erich Loring
Alan Ruck	...	Pete Sutphen
David Clennon	...	Dr. Renzler
Dee Wallace	...	Sal
Courtney B. Vance	...	Marcus Temple
Ayanna Berkshire	...	Wendy Temple
P.J. Byrne	...	Dr. Preston
Andrea White	...	Dr. Allegria

Storyline

A Portland couple have two children with Pompe disease, a genetic anomaly that kills most before a child's tenth birthday. The husband, John, an advertising executive, contacts Robert Stonehill, a researcher in Nebraska who has done innovative research for an enzyme treatment. He has little money to fund his laboratory, and a thorny personality that drives away colleagues and funders. John and his wife Aileen raise money to help Stonehill's research and the required clinical trials. John takes on the task full time, working with venture capitalists and then rival teams of researchers. Time is running short, Stonehill's angry outburst hinder the company's faith in him, and the profit motive may upend John's hopes. The researchers race against time for the children who have the disease.

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Plot Keywords:

disease | race against time | cure | venture capital | theoretical cure | 

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Taglines:

Don't hope for a miracle. Make one.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 January 2010 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Decisiones extremas

Filming Locations:

Alameda, Portland, Oregon, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$31,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$6,012,594 (USA) (22 January 2010)

Gross:

$11,854,694 (USA) (5 February 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

CBS Films, Double Feature Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is his first film since Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi (1983) where Harrison Ford has not had his name first in the credits.

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Goofs

When Patrick Crowley is throwing food to ducks at the lake, he laughs and reveals that he is missing two milky central incisors. At the end of the movie when he is in the hospital taking his medicine, he laughs again revealing that he is missing only one milky central incisor instead of two - the last scene of the movie was filmed before the first.

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Quotes

John Crowley: [affably] Well, thank you very much for firing me.
Dr. Kent Webber: My pleasure, I never liked you.
John Crowley: Likewise.

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Connections

Featured in Richard Roeper & the Movies: Extraordinary Measures (2010)

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Soundtracks

Maria's Baby
Written and Performed by Jason Docter
Courtesy of In Her Tummy Records

User Reviews

Ford is good... Fraser sadly not...

I remember when this came out it got a fair share of decent, if not spectacular, reviews from the critics. I was interested to see it, not only for that, but also to see how Brendan Fraser copes with a dramatic role, quite a departure for him. For the first part, the critics were right, to an extent, and for the second part… well I tell you about that later. Here's a brief summary first (summary haters and those that don't wish to know anything about the plot please discover something brilliantly scientific while I write the next paragraph).

Advertising executive John Crowley and his wife, Aileen, have three children; John Jr., Patrick and Megan. Unfortunately both Patrick and Megan have Pompe disease, a genetic anomaly that kills most before a child's tenth birthday. As Megan nears her tenth birthday John and Aileen become more desperate. So much so that John tries to contact and eventually goes to see the scientist whose research shows the best promise, Dr. Robert Stonehill. Now Stonehill is not the easiest person to get along with, very focused on his work but John eventually gets him to listen. The main problem is funding but John sets up a charitable foundation to help raise money for the work. Stonehill then offers to set up a company with John to develop a cure for Pompe. So John quits his job and they set off on an uncertain path looking for funding for their new venture. A big risk for John because if he fails there is no hope for his kids.

I must say that this film put me in mind of the 1992 film Lorenzo's Oil starring Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon. Unfortunately, it's not as good as that one. It's quite well made but I found the subject matter a bit dry. There are lots of meetings with either corporate or scientific jargon that, I'm sure, would be beyond the understanding of most viewers. The best thing about it is Harrison Ford as Dr. Robert Stonehill; it definitely improves when he's on screen. Brendan Fraser did OK as John Crowley, but more of him later. Also worth a mention are Keri Russell as Aileen Crowley, Meredith Droeger as Megan Crowley, Diego Velazquez as Patrick Crowley and Sam M. Hall as John Crowley Jr.

For a film that is supposed to be a heart-warming tale I'm afraid it missed the mark but some distance, for me. Brendan Fraser was OK in the scenes with the kids, and even in some of the scenes with Harrison Ford he did alright, but when he had to show any real emotion I felt he struggled. Maybe it's because he's played so many comedic roles, but I just wasn't convinced by him. Over all, the film isn't too great, but it's quite well made and Harrison Ford is pretty good, but not quite good enough to save it I'm afraid… Not recommended.

My score: 5.1/10