Coma - Two-Night Television Movie - by Yearrgsworth
Okay, this one... I'm really not sure what I can say as a concise lead-up before the cut other than HOLYBALLS. Yep. That about covers it. Now, on with the show!
I was pretty excited about it from the previews I had seen, since it was a Ridley Scott film (I guess television movies count?) and one of the last things he did with his brother Tony Scott. If you have seen any Ridley/Tony productions, you'll know that even when they're 'bad' they're still better than most people's best work.
'Coma' is no exception.
Starring Lauren Ambrose as 'Susan Wheeler', a med student on her first surgical rotation who uncovers some.. 'discrepencies' with the surgical procedures at the hospital she's an intern at. Patients coming in for very routine surgeries are suddenly dropping into a coma with no indication of why.
Early in the film it's established that the statistics for a patient slipping into a coma is about 1 in 8,000 but she discovers that there's been several... in four months. When everyone helping her gain access to restricted patient files suddenly starts losing their jobs, she gets the hint that she's struck a nerve with the hospital and starts digging deeper...
...but uncovers a conspiracy that runs deeper than she could ever have imagined, leading her into a twisted world of hospital politics, death threats, attacks, romance, and intrigue.
'Coma' was based on a novel by the same title by Robin Cook, which will definitely be on my to-read list very, very soon. I was impressed by this made-for-TV-movie and especially the cast and staff they managed to pull in for it. Much like with my review of 'Red', I was expecting a film that was going to try to skate by on the names associated with it rather than good production value, acting, and story.. and again, I got something totally different. If it weren't for Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, and Lauren Ambrose having their names on it, I might have very easily passed on this little gem.
Overall, I was really impressed by the various performances of Richard Dreyfuss, Geena Davis, Ellen Burstyn, Joe Morton (That guy.. he can do no wrong!), and Steven Pasquale. Hopefully, Pasquale will finally start getting some higher-profile roles now that he's proven he can sit at the adult's table now.
If you see Coma coming on A&E or snag it from netflix (it'll be on DVD soon if it's not already), I highly suggest giving it a chance.
-Y
I was pretty excited about it from the previews I had seen, since it was a Ridley Scott film (I guess television movies count?) and one of the last things he did with his brother Tony Scott. If you have seen any Ridley/Tony productions, you'll know that even when they're 'bad' they're still better than most people's best work.
'Coma' is no exception.
Starring Lauren Ambrose as 'Susan Wheeler', a med student on her first surgical rotation who uncovers some.. 'discrepencies' with the surgical procedures at the hospital she's an intern at. Patients coming in for very routine surgeries are suddenly dropping into a coma with no indication of why.
Early in the film it's established that the statistics for a patient slipping into a coma is about 1 in 8,000 but she discovers that there's been several... in four months. When everyone helping her gain access to restricted patient files suddenly starts losing their jobs, she gets the hint that she's struck a nerve with the hospital and starts digging deeper...
...but uncovers a conspiracy that runs deeper than she could ever have imagined, leading her into a twisted world of hospital politics, death threats, attacks, romance, and intrigue.
'Coma' was based on a novel by the same title by Robin Cook, which will definitely be on my to-read list very, very soon. I was impressed by this made-for-TV-movie and especially the cast and staff they managed to pull in for it. Much like with my review of 'Red', I was expecting a film that was going to try to skate by on the names associated with it rather than good production value, acting, and story.. and again, I got something totally different. If it weren't for Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, and Lauren Ambrose having their names on it, I might have very easily passed on this little gem.
Overall, I was really impressed by the various performances of Richard Dreyfuss, Geena Davis, Ellen Burstyn, Joe Morton (That guy.. he can do no wrong!), and Steven Pasquale. Hopefully, Pasquale will finally start getting some higher-profile roles now that he's proven he can sit at the adult's table now.
If you see Coma coming on A&E or snag it from netflix (it'll be on DVD soon if it's not already), I highly suggest giving it a chance.
-Y