Ensofter Overrated and overhyped

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Executscan Expected more

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Terrell Howell (KnightsofNi11) Directors as renowned and diverse as Sidney Lumet only come along every so often. This great director had such an incredibly long career as a filmmaker before his unfortunate passing earlier this year. His career spanned fifty years and practically every genre you can think of. Only a few times did Lumet tackle comedy, and Critical Care is one of those times. The movie takes place in a hospital where Dr. Werner Ernst (James Spader) becomes helplessly involved in a legal battle between two half-sisters who are fighting over the $10 million inheritance of their comatose father. Werner has to put up with this feud as well as his senile supervisor, Dr. Butz, played by an almost unrecognizable Albert Brooks, who insists that Werner only take care of patients with health insurance. Werner must maneuver around the legality of the hospital in order to do what is right for the patient in this twisty, wacky, nutty, and all around fun flick from the late and great Sidney Lumet.Critical Care is a fairly straightforward film when you boil it down. There isn't a lot going on here, but what it has to offer is entertaining enough. It's a witty little film with fun characters and great performances. I thoroughly enjoyed James Spader as the film's lead, as he carries the film well, but the film is really lifted up by its supporting cast. Helen Mirren plays the head nurse on Spader's floor, who has a profound outlook on life, even if she has very unorthodox ways of showing it. She isn't in every scene but when she stops by it always seems she is there to give some sort of advice or perspective on the wacky situation the other characters find themselves in. Jeffrey Wright has a small part as a dying patient who sees visions of the devil coming to take his soul. The devil is played by highly unexpected Wallace Shawn. The sub story that develops between Wright and Shawn, as well as Mirren, is a fascinating parallel to the central story of the film.Kyra Sedgwick and Margo Martindale play the two half-sisters fighting over their father. Sedgwick is a seductive model whose devious ways get Spader into more trouble than he bargained for. Martindale is a deeply religious woman who uses God as her safety net for everything she says about her father and the situation she is in. Her over the top character effectively pokes fun at devout Christians who believe Jesus is the answer to all problems, something I'm always a fan of. But my favorite character of them all is easily the curmudgeonly Dr. Butz, played incredibly well by Albert Brooks in an hysterical role. Dr. Butz is grumpy, unethical, and very technologically challenged, making for some silly yet amusing running jokes in the film. I looked forward to every scene with Brooks as the nutty geezer and was always satisfied with whatever scene he appeared in.When you get right down to it, Critical Care is a film that you watch, enjoy, then forget. I really liked this flick. It made me laugh and it didn't waste my time or insult my intelligence. It's simple enough and not something to do back flips for. It's a small film, very minimalistic, but makes the most out of what it has. The actors are great and the variety of characters are all fun. I couldn't see myself watching this film again but it was at least an effective use of an hour and forty minutes of my time.

Cephyros A very sarcastic film, and quite an entertaining one, too. Although (or maybe because) many of the truths about the American medical system presented seem to have been taken directly from Samuel Shem's novels, and despite the hard to believe ending, this movie is fun to watch. Its relatively low imdb rating is prove for the relatively low level of humor that most people share. I recommend this movie to any medical student, trust me- you will enjoy it.

Ken-208 Movie tries to be funny but fails in its attempt. Also, the movie has such a simplistic ending. Basically 2 sisters are fighting over their dad who is on his death bead. One sister wants the dad to be taken off life support soon so that he will die and she can collect all of his money. The other sister will receive all the money if the dad lives long enough. The hospital want's to keep him alive until his insurance runs out. The sister who wants the dad to die, seduced a doctor and is blackmailing him with a video tape and threatens to turn the video over to the hospital if he doesn't cause her dad to die.The solution the doctor proposes is the solution most normal people would think of with only a few seconds of thought needed. And the way the doctor forces the solution and wraps up the whole film in a couple of minutes is just too simplistic. It was a dumb movie and an even worse ending. 3 stars out of 10.

Doctor_Bombay Sidney Lumet has made some wonderful, memorable, and important films. 12 Angry Men, Fail-Safe, Serpico, Network, and The Verdict among them--the list is long, and impressive.Unfortunately, his recent list is less than impressive: Night Falls on Manhattan and Gloria starring Sharon Stone immediately come to mind. Critical Care sits right there, underneath them.Talented actors like Philip Bosco, Edward Herrmann, and Helen Mirren can't save this confused Woody Allen meets 1984 attempt at…to tell you the truth I don't know what they were attempting.Yuck.