Extraordinary Measures

Extraordinary Measures releases in the theaters on January 22nd. Bill and I were lucky enough to be invited to a special viewing last night.  I’m going to start off this review by stating that there may be spoilers in this review!

I researched this movie before we went, because I didn’t want to go to a movie where two kids die.  I’m glad to say that they don’t (and in real life, they are actually still alive).  The synopsis of the movie is this:

“Extraordinary Measures” is inspired by the true story of John Crowley, a man who defied conventional wisdom and great odds, and risked his family’s future to pursue a cure for his children’s life threatening disease. From his working class roots, John Crowley (Brendan Fraser) has finally begun to taste success in corporate America. Supported by his beautiful wife Aileen (Keri Russell) and their three children, John is on the fast track. But just as his career is taking off, Crowley walks away from it all when his two youngest children, Megan and Patrick, are diagnosed with a fatal disease. With Aileen by his side, harnessing all of his skill and determination, Crowley teams up with a brilliant, but unappreciated and unconventional scientist, Dr. Robert Stonehill. (Harrison Ford) Together they form a bio-tech company focused on developing a life-saving drug. One driven to prove himself and his theories, the other by a chance to save his children, this unlikely alliance eventually develops into mutual respect as they battle the medical and business establishments in a fight against the system – and time.

What did I walk away with from this movie? That one person can change the world. If Crowley didn’t fight the world for his children, this drug that saved his childrens’ lives would not be around for them or others with Pompe Disease.  Even knowing how the movie would eventually end, I still was riveted by what I was seeing on the screen.  Extraordinary Measures is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time.

The kids were 6 and 8 in the movie.  My kids are 2 and 6, so Bill and I definitely drew some parallels in our life.  We know what it is like to deal with doctors who don’t know how to treat your children to make them better (Madison has a genetic condition that makes her extremely ill when she’s got the flu).  The other reason I think the movie really touched us is that the little girl, Megan, reminded us soo much of Madison.  Her fiesty determination is Madison to a tee.  Bill thought she kinda looked like her too.  Without making the movie too sad or sappy, they were able to tell the story.  I can’t tell you how many times during the movie I felt my heart breaking in my chest.  Bill agreed it was a tearjerker and that even he teared up a few times.  Seriously, the movie is that good.

Extraordinary Measures is the first movie I’ve went to that people started clapping before the end of the movie.  As soon as we realized that the drug Dr. Stonehill was working, the audience erupted with applause that continued till the end of the movie.  That is how moving this film is.

It’s amazing what a parent will do for their children.  I know I’d move heaven and earth and that is exactly what Crowley did.  He beat the odds and played the drug companies games.  It’s amazing the hoops he had to jump through to make this happen.  It truly makes you realize you can change the world.  Though a tear jerker, it’s ended as a very uplifting movie.

Few movies are worth movie admission nowadays (its $10 a person here), but I’d gladly pay more than that to see this movie again.