Extraordinary Measures DVD with Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser (PG) +Movie Reviews +Used DVD available for Swap

Extraordinary movie

P. Glenn | Paradise, CA | 01/29/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This movie motivated me to write my first review.

I read on 'Rottentomatoes' that Extraordinary Measures "never feels like more than a made-for-TV tearjerker." Don't believe it! I am convinced that critics who do critiquing for a living often lose their senses of wonder, along with their senses of humor. After hundreds to thousands of movie viewings, they no longer see the story that makes the acting come alive. They only judge the acting (and that, superficially), and my guess is that most go into the theater with preconceived ideas based on trailers and their personal attitudes toward the actors in the film under review.

So with that out of the way, I will concentrate on the movie which I saw last night.

John & Aileen Crowley and their children, John Jr., Megan and Patrick, are the real stars of this movie. Which tells me that the actors who portrayed them did their job well.

As usual in his serious roles, Brendan Fraser brought to the screen the intensity and humanity and reality of John Crowley's decision/quest/obsession for a medical miracle for his children. Brendan is unique. He has been wise in not being stereotyped. As far as I can see, he has much more to bring to life cinematically. His humor is one of his greatest attributes.

Keri Russell is relatable as Aileen. In this condensed version of this part of Aileen's life, I think Keri allowed us to see into Aileen's emotions and her relationships with her children as well as with John.

The children were played by Meredith Droeger as Megan and Diego Velazquez as Patrick. I was entranced by both children. They were believable and amazing in their mature ability to play children with Pompe challenges, while still showing how the disease does not identify their individuality. I believe both Meredith and Diego have a great future ahead of them regardless of their paths in life.

Sam M. Hall is a delightful young man who, I feel sure, played big brother John Jr. very much as he is - supportive, loving and responsible. His own challenges came through often with Sam's expressions and responses to difficult situations.

And, of course, what can you say about Harrison Ford that has not already been said. I watched his interview with Charlie Rose, and he said then that his character, Dr. Stonehill, was a compilation of several doctors the Crowleys worked with. His characterization of the medical research personality was probably not all that far from truth. But he naturally gives his signature personality to the contrary doctor. (I have known some egos like his in the medical field.) In short, he was wonderful. And I truly appreciate his dedication to getting this story to film (along with anyone else involved).

See this film if you have a heart for children. See it if you like any of these actors. (And watch for Dee Wallace. Short but oh so sweet!)"

Extraordinary Measures Review

Craig Whittle | Phoenix, AZ | 03/18/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES

STARRING: Brendan Fraser, Harrison Ford, Keri Russell, Meredith Droeger, Diego Velazquez, Sam Hall, Jared Harris, Patrick Bauchau, Alan Ruck and Dee Wallace

WRITTEN BY: Robert Nelson Jacobs; based on the book by Geeta Anand

DIRECTED BY: Tom Vaughan

Rated: PG

Genre: Drama

Release Date: 22 January 2010

Review Date: 21 February 2010

I won't even pretend to know the facts about Pompe disease. But what I do know is movies. And I take very much pleasure in squashing the opinions that Extraordinary Measures is a bad film and a cheesy film and that it belongs on a day-time old lady channel like Lifetime, rather than in mainstream theaters across our beautiful nation. It was fantastic.

Brendan Fraser stars as John Crowley, a father desperate to save his two children who are dying from the horrible disease. When he hears of a doctor who's been working on a cure, he attempts to call on him for help. After a very well written scene of him trying to get the hermit of a doctor on the phone, he flies to his hometown in Nebraska for a chance meeting of face to face.

Dr. Robert Stonehill is played by Harrison Ford. He's a man with the letters D and R in front of his name but rather than the victims, it's the scientific structure of the disease he finds a fascination in.

Fraser's character John is supported by his loving wife Aileen (Keri Russell). The film has received some slack in regards to their relationship being two dimensional, but I can clear that up right now with two little words: It's not. The scene they share early on, when they are interrupted by the babysitter, was more than enough to shed light on their relationship. The film doesn't dwell on their relationship, because that's not its focus. The focus is on the disease and their children dying from it.

John sees something in Stonehill regardless of his eccentric behavior and often cold personality. He works relentlessly to get him on his side and eventually it pays off. The two team-up and set forth to find a cure for this God-awful disease.

Fraser and Ford may seem like an odd match, but what they do on film together is amazing. Fraser, who is primarily known for his funnier roles, is a very talented actor. He's never overpowered by the pressure of sharing a scene with Ford and both of them deliver in every scene.

One of the things that make the film so enjoyable other than the great performances is its ability to make us cry and seconds later have us laughing out loud. This was a continuing factor throughout the film, and it's not an easy one to pull off. Extraordinary Measures could easily be the most underrated film of 2009. Don't miss it."

Superior Show

W. Easley | Colorado Rocky Mountains | 06/14/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"

"Extraordinary Measures" is an inspiring movie. It is based upon the true story of the Crowley family and their struggle with Pompe disease. I rate this movie superior because the tale is vital, the action gripping, and the movie is well acted.

"Extraordinary Measures" presents John Crowley (Brendan Fraser), his wife Aileen (Keri Russell) and their children, John Jr. (Sam M. Hall), Megan (Meredith Droeger) and Patrick (Diego Velazquez). Both Megan and Patrick Crowley have Pompe disease and are not expected to live past their eighth or ninth birthday. John and Aileen decide that prognosis is unacceptable and become determined to find a cure.

The Crowleys learn that professor Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford) at the University of Nebraska Is close to finding a treatment for Pompe. They solicit Stonehill's help and form a company dedicated to discovering a cure for this terrible disease.

As I watched the science progress, I began to understand the difficulty of performing biochemical research and the near impossibility of taking a new drug to market. The challenges of financing and the difficulty of getting FDA approval became clear. The dialogue seemed real and the science understandable. The script writers for this film produced a scientifically clear script.

Harrison Ford plays a biochemist who is technically superior, but unable to communicate without creating stress. This is a very different part for Harrison Ford but he presents a believable, old codger academic who struggles with interpersonal communication.

Brendan Fraser is outstanding as a sensitive, persistent John Crowley who gently pushes for solutions. Keri Russell appears a concerned mother desperate to save her children. Meredith Droeger and Diego Velazquez are wonderful as the Pompe plagued children. Unlike many child actors, these two talented youngsters appear natural and convincing in their roles.

This movie tells a good human interest story with excellent characters and a realistic plot. I highly recommend "Extraordinary Measures".

"

"Don't get your hopes up kid, it's a Hail Mary."

Harold Wolf | Wells, IN United States | 05/27/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

""I'm chasing the wind," said Crowley. A true story, then a book, now a film, is based on hope. EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES asks if it is worth risking everything for a single achievement? Love and family make risks a quick choice. For the real and movie Crowley family--it worked. For others, it might build hope. This excellent film is about defying the odds--gamble vs love--& sometimes winning. Emotional? YES! Real life is emotional.

John Crowley (Brendan Fraser), at a loss dealing with 2 children having Pompe disease (muscle illness, no Rx help, life expectancy of 9 yrs) looks to a Univ. of Nebraska Dr/researcher, Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford) for help. This may be one of Ford's best performances: emotional, funny, tough. He plays a maverick, soured, calloused, aging, poorly funded researcher who finds his own heart through the Crowley family. Awesome, realistic, portrayals by both men. Not to be upstaged, the mom, Aileen (Keri Russell) has her own moments and makes this EXTRAORDINARY scenario very believable.

John mixes his emotional experience as a parent with the profit motivated Zymagen drug firm. Aileen is at his side-most of the time. Deleted scenes show there was additional marriage and stress conflict needing reconciled. A family film, but really aimed at adults--and it hits the bull's eye.

If nothing else, the movie empathizes with families dealing with a disease prior to a pharmaceutical breakthrough. That is a heart-wrenching emotional battle.

Bonus is Subtitles, even in the bonus stuff.

Extraordinary Measures: The Power to Overcome; 10 min. meeting the real Crowley family.

Meet John Crowley; again 10 min. of the real dad.

Deleted scenes; 10 minutes.

Great real life to screen adaptation, with a real "Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus" finale."

This inspiring true story deserved a better director

K. Swanson | Austin, TX United States | 05/22/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"2.7 stars

Unfortunately unextraordinary.

I just watched this one and must say I am amazed to see that all 7 reviews here are five stars. As much as this true story was moving, I found the movie's treatment of it predictable in every way: overwrought, manipulative, ham-handed and thoroughly ordinary...at best.

Nothing here worked for me except the one scene with all the Pompe families gathered with the scientists. When the black father spoke, I could finally really feel something coming from the screen. He had real passion, and I can only guess that all those real Pompe kids in one place inspired the entire production. It's a moving moment.

But almost all of the rest of this very tv-feeling movie is so sadly unextraordinary. Ford and Fraser do their best but somehow these two fine actors seem off here. Is it the script, hokey as it often is? After watching the short but fine dvd extra documentary on the real life John Crowley and his family, I saw how sanitized and prettified the screen story truly was. Must everything be so Hollywood? The real story had more life for me in four minutes than the long 100 minutes of the film.

A great director inspires the cast and crew and the story comes to full life on the screen. There is electricity. Here there is everything that suggests electricity, but almost none of the real crackle. It all feels flat, and the incredibly average, sappy and manipulative music seems lifted from any of a hundred expensive soap operas. The acting rarely takes off into depth and intensity. And some of the looping (off-camera dubbing by the actors) is simply miserable. In the bar scene you can actually hear Ford's voice go up and down and up again as the edit is done; there's no excuse for that kind of shoddy editing in a big-budget movie. One can only blame the director for all of these final decisions.

Which is all really a shame, as the story is wonderful, with real-life happy ending and all. But something just feels off in this movie, and it's hard to put my finger on it. I thought I'd gone nuts when I saw all the praise here, so I checked the combined ratings of this movie from 129 critics around the world on Rotten Tomatoes; it got a 28% thumbs up, which to me seemed sadly about right. But then again, they each watch about a thousand movies a year, so what would they know about good filmmaking?

For all its good intentions and heart-wrenching true story, Extraordinary Measures is all too standard and never comes close to the power it could have had. The short dvd documentary on the real family has far more power, and authenticity, than this very Hollywood movie."

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	Extraordinary Measures Actors: Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser Director: Tom Vaughan Genres: Drama PG 2010 1hr 46min Parents seek out a reclusive researcher to find a cure.
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