The Doctor (1991)

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

I'm truly surprised that The Doctor got no Oscar nominations. Maybe because it tells some uncomfortable truths about death, dying, and the medical profession. And William Hurt in the title protagonist role was certainly Oscar worthy.Hurt is a successful surgeon with all the perks that his high priced profession can give him. He has a wife, Christine Lahti and a child and lives more than comfortably. Hurt also enjoys the perks of playing God with people's lives as doctors certainly do.That all changes when Hurt is discovered to have a malignant growth in his throat. Then he becomes a patient and sees from that point of view how some in his profession treats whom it is supposed to serve.The real eye opener is Hurt meeting a terminally ill Elizabeth Perkins who is facing death with as much fear and trepidation as most of us would be doing. Hurt learns a few life lessons from her.Another performance of note is that of colleague Mandy Patinkin who Hurt sees a reflection of his former self and truly grows to despise. Still Patinkin treats the people he serves like so much cattle, I doubt he'll ever get it.Hurt is also a teaching resident in his hospital and in the end you really wish that hospitals make what he does a general policy for its new interns.The Doctor is a real eye opener of a film. Don't miss it and the Oscar caliber performances of William Hurt and Elizabeth Perkins. A rotten shame they and the film were not nominated.

This film, from the director of "Children of a Lesser God", plays a lot like "Regarding Henry" (only not as good). We find an unfeeling surgeon (William Hurt), who cares less about his patients, changes as he becomes a patient himself.Performances are okay in a film that never gets any better than good. While Haines manages humour and sad moments, "The Doctor" fails to absorb its audience, and you never become deeply concerned with Dr. McKee's plight.Potentially more dramatic and heart-rending, "The Doctor" remains fair entertainment.PS Mandy Patinkin and Adam Arkin are excellent in supporting roles.Tuesday, January 14, 1992 - Village Cinema Center Melbourne

San Francisco surgeon Jack McKee (William Hurt) has been a jerk his whole life. He never refers to his patients by their names and apparently never knows why they're in the hospital. In short, Jack's the opposite of Patch Adams. But then, he becomes a patient, and finds out what it's really like to be on the other side. Admittedly, this is sort of a cliché (and maybe sappy at times). But still, it's a good look at one man's change.I will say that what Jack does at the end looked a little unrealistic; I doubt that he went that far in real life. But even so, I still say that the movie is worth seeing. Not a masterpiece by any stretch, but important. Also starring Christine Lahti, Charlie Korsmo, Mandy Patinkin and Adam Arkin.

I was impressed and touched by the movie's theme. I've recommended the movie to friends and acquaintances and those that watch it are also moved. When my wife was hospitalized for leukemia there was an intern who became impatient with my questions and concern. I couldn't help but think that "hey, someday you'll become a patient too. Let's see how you'll handle it."They should have medical students watch this movie. We can become callous at times, that we forget to put ourselves in the shoes of the other person. The movie shows that there are people that stay in our lives so briefly but leave warm and good impressions that last a lifetime.