Critical Care (1997)

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writers (WGA):

Richard Dooling (novel)
Steven Schwartz (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

At Memorial Hospital no one ever dies... Until their insurance runs out.

Plot:

Werner Ernst is a young hospital resident who becomes embroiled in a legal battle between two half-sisters...

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Half Sister | Ethics | Medical | Life Support

Awards:

1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Dec. 18

8:30 AM

SHOW

Cast

James Spader	...	Dr. Werner Ernst
Kyra Sedgwick	...	Felicia Potter
Helen Mirren	...	Stella
Anne Bancroft	...	Nun
Albert Brooks	...	Dr. Butz
Jeffrey Wright	...	Bed Two
Margo Martindale	...	Constance 'Connie' Potter
Wallace Shawn	...	Furnaceman
Philip Bosco	...	Dr. Hofstader
Colm Feore	...	Richard Wilson
Edward Herrmann	...	Robert Payne
James Lally	...	Poindexter
Harvey Atkin	...	Judge Fatale
Al Waxman	...	Sheldon Hatchett (a Lawyer)
Hamish McEwan	...	Dr. Hansen

Also Known As:

Özel ilgi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Cuidados Intensivos (Portugal) (video title) [pt]
En estado crítico (Spain) [es]
O Impaciente (Brazil) [pt]
Se mi amate (Italy) [it]
Sterben und erben (Germany) (TV title) [de]
Teholla (Finland) [fi]

MPAA:

Rated R for language and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | USA:R | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

ASQA Film Partnership

Quotes:

Dr. Hofstader: Seeing patients is a waste of time.

Movie Connections:

References The Terminator (1984)

Soundtrack:

Dry Bones

The medical profession takes it on the chin in this good comedy, with a wonderful performance by Albert Brooks.

This film takes its place beside many comedy/dramas touching on the inadequacies of the medical profession, such as Otto Preminger's "Such Good Friends (1971)" and Arthur Hiller's "The Hospital (1971)." Though the comedy here is not as "black" as those films, which concentrated more on the incompetencies of some doctors and nurses, "Critical Care" finds its humor in the insurance-driven medical profession today. Albert Brooks is absolutely wonderful as the epitome of a doctor caring only about the bottom line. His only concern is whether or not a prospective patient has medical insurance, and his decision to keep a comatose patient with no chance of recovery alive is based solely on the fact that the insurance company pays $9,500 per week ("cold cash") if he's alive, and zilch if he dies. Conversely, an emergency patient has very little priority if he has no medical insurance. The reason to see the film is Albert Brooks, in a much different role than he usually plays.

The setup is a bit contrived, but is easily forgiven. I also enjoyed the brief roles of Wallace Shawn as the devil (called "furnaceman" in the credits) and Anne Bancroft as sort of an angel in a nun's habit.