Critical Care

Not so much a story as a couple of giant ethical dilemmas just barely chiseled into a narrative this black comedy sometimes feels flat, esp. when the jokes don't work or jarringly jam against the serious questions being asked, which is often. Having said that, Spader's great, the film picks up steam as it goes & it's brave & smart enough 2 actually take a stand & share its thoughts (unlike stereotypical art-house question-posers) on extremely gray matters like what it actually means to b good.

It doesn't hold together, but there are some great individual elements: James Spader's performance, Margo Martindale's hilarious battiness, some of the writing, and Albert Brooks period (his scenes are priceless, in the blackest possible way). "When I go [...} I'm gonna be sitting on my back porch, I'm gonna have a Cuban cigar in one hand, and a big glass 'o scotch in the other, and a belly full of barbecued ribs with a ton of sauce. That's why I don't have insurance."

Either needed to embrace it's wackiness the way The Hospital does and go full Brain Donors or pretend to be serious and just be unintentionally hilarious like Article 99. Strong performances all around (shocking in a Lumet film, right?).

It's mildly interesting, I guess it keeps you wondering enough what will come next to make it through the ups and downs and the final speech.

This "Hospital" without the genius of Paddy Chayevsky is heavy-handed, labored and dull. (Low point: Shawn and Bankcroft as evil and good personified.) There are many fine moments here: the amusing sex scenes between Spader and Sedgewick, Margo Martindale's perfectly timed screwball, and the underplayed, unshakable goodness of Mirren's intensive care nurse, the emotional heart of the film. Fine moments, yes, but not nearly enough of them.

Minor Lumet, but good for what it is

69.500