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, Harrison Ford, Keri Russell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brendan Fraser	...	John Crowley
Harrison Ford	...	Dr. Robert 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 | cure | race against time | fabrication | child in peril | 

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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 [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 January 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Crowley

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

John Crowley:  The real John Crowley has a cameo in the film as "Renzler Venture Capitalist #2".

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Goofs

Stonehill puts up a sign that says "KEEP YOUR DAMN FOOD AND DRINK OUT OF MY REFRIDGERATOR!" (with "refrigerator" misspelled).

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Quotes

Aileen Crowley: If you kill your brother, you cannot have your party.

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Connections

References The Godfather (1972)

User Reviews

I enjoyed "Extraordinary Measures"

Harrison Ford still displays great instincts both as an actor and as an executive producer. I believed in his character whole-heartedly, and convincingly-so as the movie unfolded the story. Brendan Fraser is also very convincing as a decent, but desperate and resourceful father. This is a movie that made me want to read the book, research the real issues.

I especially like the way the audience is increasingly drawn in, not only to the family seeking Dr. Stonehill's cutting edge medical research, but, moreover, in to the very lives of other families enduring a plight similar to the family of the main protagonists.

The movie is strong in terms of not over-playing the sentiment, which it would have been so easy to do.