Dr. Werner Ernst (James Spader) is a resident working in the newest IC unit with nurse Stella (Helen Mirren). He's a skirt chaser and Felicia Potter (Kyra Sedgwick) catches his eye. She's visiting her sick father. She disagrees with her half-sister Connie Potter (Margo Martindale) who wants to keep him alive at all costs. Dr. Butz (Albert Brooks) is Ernst's grumpy absent-minded supervisor. A suffering patient (Jeffrey Wright) wants to die and a demonic doctor (Wallace Shawn) keeps appearing to him.
This is a later work from director Sidney Lumet. There is an artificiality to the look probably due to the overwhelming white background. It drains the life out of the story. It feels more like a play in its unreality. I don't know how to take the artificial satire. Even Sedgwick's performance is super artificial which may be due to the character. Nothing feels real. It's not funny at all. It's not that poignant. It's not eye opening. The cast is amazing and Lumet must be a big part of the appeal for them. I want to like this more than I actually do.
This is a later work from director Sidney Lumet. There is an artificiality to the look probably due to the overwhelming white background. It drains the life out of the story. It feels more like a play in its unreality. I don't know how to take the artificial satire. Even Sedgwick's performance is super artificial which may be due to the character. Nothing feels real. It's not funny at all. It's not that poignant. It's not eye opening. The cast is amazing and Lumet must be a big part of the appeal for them. I want to like this more than I actually do.