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List Price: $14.99 | | Label: Walt Disney Video
Salesrank: 9239
Released: April 6, 2004 |
| Our Price: $8.59 |
| Used Price: $7.83 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Reunited for the first time since their Academy Award(R)-nominated CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, screen favorite William Hurt and director Randa Haines team up for another successful collaboration in THE DOCTOR. Oscar(R)-winning Hurt (Best Actor, 1986 -- KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN) joins Christine Lahti (RUNNING ON EMPTY), Mandy Patinkin (THE PRINCESS BRIDE), and Elizabeth Perkins (BIG) in the hit release that's been hailed as one of the must-see films of the year. It's the uplifting story of a man who becomes an extraordinary surgeon, as well as an extraordinary person, once he experiences firsthand what it's like being an ordinary patient. Touching hearts of critics and audiences alike, THE DOCTOR promises to entertain and inspire you from beginning to end.
Description of The Doctor:
William Hurt is perfectly cast as an arrogant surgeon who treats patients like interchangeable cogs in the machinery of his medical practice. Then he is diagnosed with throat cancer and, as the title of the memoir on which it is based tells us, he gets a taste of his own medicine. The subplot involves the solidarity between doctors, which is shattered when the newly conscious physician discovers that one of his partners (Mandy Patinkin) is trying to cover up a case of malpractice. Hurt is solid, as is Wendy Crewson as the doctor who treats him and Elizabeth Perkins as a fellow cancer patient. Interestingly, Hurt's fellow actors Patinkin, Adam Arkin, and Christine Lahti all wound up playing doctors on TV's Chicago Hope. --Marshall Fine
The Doctor Reviews:
The Doctor 
2009-12-12 - Very personal, but true insight about how some physicans label themselves with a"God"syndrome. The resultant is the consequences. Based on a true story, I gave this as a gift to my physican, who also teaches 4th semester interns. My doctor is going to add this movie as a prerequiste for his student interns during their rotations. My doctor stated that this movie was one of the best true to life epics about the relationships between physicians and their clients. He wants his students to understand the combination of a good doctor and a great doctor. Very special movie that lay people, not just medical, can relate to on so many levels. Being that it is also based on a true story, does help justify the actual events that took place to turn this doctor from being a "God" to being what were all are, "Human Beings." Guranteed to make changes in picking the physican of choice.
Must viewing...
2009-11-28 - Every now and then, I will see a film 10 to 20 years old that I have never even heard of, for the first time. And I will immediately fall in love with it, and have it instantly enter my top 100 (at least) list of favorite movies of all time. After initially viewing this, and coming away with such a favorable opinion, the way I tell if a movie is really as great as I thought upon first seeing it, is that I'm compelled to watch it again, and again, in a short period of time. So it was with "The Doctor," which I saw on cable on-demand, and which I can't really recommend enough. Especially to ANYONE involved in our so-called "health industries." And to all the truly great (or could be) "doctors" out there whose main concerns are "empathy" and "ethics," as far as how they think of, treat, and relate to their "patients." But essentially, I'd hope almost anyone could get something very deep, important, and meaningful from these proceedings.
Only recently, while I was perusing through various on-demand films and their descriptions, did I find the time to watch this movie. Within a few days, I had watched it several times, and confirmed my original opinion. This is a GREAT movie, from beginning to end. In fact, it should be REQUIRED viewing for anyone involved in the American "medical professions," even and especially nowadays, almost 20 years after this film was first made. In that way, it is kind of like "Patch Adams" in my view. But unlike that movie, this one, again based upon a true story, takes place in and around hospitals, not at a medical school. And while there is humor here, even if many times it is dark, I'd have to put this way ahead of the Robin Williams' vehicle, which unlike most critics and viewers, I also loved.
Despite being nearly 20 years old, this film speaks to very timely events and debates ongoing vigorously these modern days. Not only in the social and political realm of many folk's belief that basic health care should be looked upon as a RIGHT not a PRIVILEGE (my own view), but in how screwed up this seemingly "best health care system in the world" was, and still is, so many years later. And how it fails not only the poor (and uninsured), but can also disappoint even wealthy doctors and surgeons, who any day could, can, and do find themselves suddenly a "patient." Indeed, it is this idea of a rather cold and aloof and unsympathetic, "doctor" getting a view from the other side (that of a patient) and how it transforms his perspective into a much more humanistic and understanding point of view, which is this film's ultimate charm and importance.
There is a definite reason above all possible others, why this movie gets a virtually unanimous 5 star rating on Amazon and which I am happy to add my humble 2 cents review to the general consensus. This flick is just plain wonderful, with unexpected and humorous/poignant moments all along, and is believable throughout. The script, direction, acting, production values, and music, are all top notch. It is extremely interesting and compelling from minute one to the end credits, and I think only someone against a total overhaul of the USA's present health care structure, with the patient coming first and foremost (which hasn't existed for far too long), might not "get" this.
Unfortunately, for now, it's sad that the very concept of decent, universal and affordable (if not outright free) health care coverage for all, seems to escape most of the right-wing, "Christian conservative," republican "minority" in D.C., and on the airwaves (especially radio). And all the people out there who've apparently fallen prey to their lies and resulting irrational and untenable appeals to fears unfounded. I suggest this film to this latter group most, even if it may fly way above their heads, and materialistic/capitalist spirit. Because in my opinion, most if not all of them need to see this more than any anyone else. Although realistically, I think most of these wingnuts may be beyond redemption in their thinking, and in essence, their very humanity, I hope. I hope I am wrong about this, but real health reform as I write this, seems an almost impossible dream, due mainly I think to the continually effective "sales" disinformation campaign waged for decades by the big pharma's and their lobbies and their ilk, and those goshdarn wonderful FOR-PROFIT "insurance companies" and "hospitals" out there. If such thinking is the disease of logic and empathy I believe it to be, I wish this movie, could at least open closed minds, be part of the cure, and would turn the needed popular tide in the, in point of fact, one-sided "health care debate" this sadly, still topical film deals with.
Based upon the true story, autobiographical book "A Taste Of My Own Medicine," by Edward Rosenbaum, M.D., William Hurt gives an astonishing portrayal of our main protagonist, "Jack." His transformation from arrogant "doctor" to unpretentious and enlightened "patient," though a bit slow in coming, is really convincing. Christine Lahti as his long-suffering wife, "Anne," is excellent as well. But the real star here is the never-disappointing Elizabeth Perkins as the cancer patient whose experiences and plight help teach Dr. Jack an invaluable and eternal lesson. Various people Jack meets along the way, are all finely played and very believable as well. As is this almost unbelievably true story, and this brilliant film adaptation.
This is must viewing for anyone who has been on either the "doctor" (or health care worker) side, and/or as well the "patient" side. The first group will certainly learn something from this if they haven't already learned it in their profession. The second group, "patients," or in other words, most of us eventually, we, the majority, the great unwashed masses personally familiar with the corrupt and discriminatory way the whole system can really operate (no pun intended), will only find a confirmation of their experiences, as I did my own in addition to those of loved ones and friends over the years and to this day. For everyone though, actually, I can boil down the way I feel about this moving, political, but at the same time almost "spiritually" humanist and completely satisfying viewing experience, in two words.
Must viewing...
Excellent Movie 
2009-10-24 - I teach potential nursing students and ask that they all watch this movie as part of the medical ethics portion of our class.
It is a very feel good movie, has humor and teaches basic moral ethics.
I love it.
There's always a day in which a doctor becomes patient!
2009-10-06 - "The doctor" is a mature although slow paced film that deals with the delicate position of a doctor who must face in own flesh a malign tumor on his larynx and must experience the other side of the chair as patient.
The film begins with a key sequence when he and his medical team are singing a song after a sensible operation A set of events will make to open his eyes around the emotional problematic that means to be patient before this feared illness.
Once more, the naturalness of this overlooked artistic patrimony like William Hurt is, establishes the difference between it might have been another soap opera and a good film. He leads the movie until a secure port. Kudos too for the amazing acting of Elizabeth Perkins like Juno, she did live the personage.
A zealous script makes this chamber work a piece that overpasses the average.
A quality human interest film
2009-09-29 - This movie, starring John Hurt, should be required viewing for doctors with less than desirable bedside manners, or anyone who needs to take look at things from the other side of the fence. Plenty of human interaction and feeling for fans of this genre of movie as well. We ALL need to do what John Hurt portays in this quality film from time to time. You won't be disappointed with this one.
