Extraordinary Measures

Published on February 9, 2010 by Martyn Conterio · View Comments

Harrison Ford’s latest film is a true life medical drama centred on a rare genetic disease and a clock-is-ticking premise. Extraordinary Measures is a ‘Lorenzo’s Oil’ for this new decade. It is heartfelt without being overly sentimental and Ford, for once, is playing against type as a grouchy academic in search of a cure.

In such paranoid times, a child’s role in society and the relationship between parent and sprog has entered strange waters. If it’s not the media-generated panic over nonces, it’s the pressure to produce a little genius or the fear of them becoming ill. The way parents mollycoddle them, we’ll soon have a generation of Norman Bates’ and Lizzie Bordens.

Up until the 20th century child mortalities rates in the west were high. In developing world countries, it remains a sad fact of life. Medical-technological solutions have eradicated many ailments and illnesses yet there are some whose cures continue to remain elusive.

Pompe disease is a rare and brutal genetic defect that causes vital organs to enlarge whilst the muscles atrophy. Most children afflicted will die before they are nine years old. In a cruel twist of fate, John Crowley (Brendan Fraser) has two kids born with it and time is running out most definitely.

One day, Crowley quit his highly paid executive job and through sheer determination set about finding a cure. He opened a biotech company and worked with numerous scientists to alleviate the suffering of his own kids and those others struck down by Pompe.

Well, that’s how it goes in the non fiction book (The Cure by Geeta Anand) on which the film is based. The roles of the scientists are condensed into Dr. Robert ‘Bob’ Stonehill, an ageing Nebraskan academic whose theories on Pompe are revolutionary. But nobody will fund his research…until John Crowley comes along!

It would be terribly remiss to treat Tom Vaughn’s drama with a cynical heart. But the suspicion remains that without the presence of Messrs Ford and Fraser, this would be a television “disease of the week” movie.

On all fronts it is a well made production that also manages to bring humour into play. Harrison Ford has a hoot playing a grizzled and eccentric type with the social skills of, well, an academic. He provides a fair few laughs throughout.

Brendan Fraser on the other hand doesn’t seem to know how to approach his character. It is not being unfair, either. He nails the tiredness and determination of John Crowley but the emoting comes across as incredibly false. In fact, Fraser, all podgy and red-eyed, should have worked wonders with this role. On occasion, when he isn’t shooting CGI monsters or being a goof, he can be a clever actor. His performance in Gods and Monsters was excellent.

Extraordinary Measures is a movie about people power and achievement. Everybody comes across as remarkably altruistic – even biotech companies! There are several syrupy sentimental moments that force chuckles, but one must remember the pain and agony of the Crowley family. Watching kids die isn’t funny. But watching movies about kids with severe illnesses can come across as unintentionally funny! That’s just misplaced cinematic representation at play. Indeed, one must admire Crowley’s tenacity and perseverance. Without his dogged sense of mission kids today wouldn’t be helped by the enzyme treatment that prolongs lives and offers a modicum of dignity to its sufferers.

Ending the movie with everybody laughing is a terrible idea, though. Yes, the kids may be reacting to the chemicals coursing through their little bodies (the enzyme breaks down the sugar causing a ‘sugar high’), but it’s cheesy as hell. An ill-advised post-script adds that once the treatment was found they all lived happily ever after. It’s diverting enough and ultimately worthwhile just for the pleasure of Harrison Ford playing a grumpy old sod. He’s funny!

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