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There is no doubt that healthcare has been a major topic of discussion lately, especially with the pandemic still looming over our heads. Those who work in the medical field are often tasked with challenging and even morally debatable situations that cause them to decide the fate of another human being. Most of the time, this is done in the heat of the moment in the emergency room. Other times, it's done behind closed doors with much more serious stakes at play. All of this can be found in today's film, The God Committee. It's a film that's good enough to skate by with its commentary on the modern medical industry but not quite good enough to warrant multiple viewings.
Based on the stage play by Mark St. Germain, the story follows Dr. Andre boxer (Kelsey Grammer), a master surgeon and primary member of his hospital's organ donor committee: where he, along with one of his colleagues Dr. Jordan Taylor (Julia Stiles), a nurse, and some other interested parties, are faced with an impossible debate. They have three patients who all require a heart transplant, but they only have one fresh heart to use. Complicating matters more is the one-hour time limit before the heart goes bad, not to mention the "generous donation" offered by the father of one of the patients. As the clock runs down, they must confront the situations and attempt to be as objective as possible as they reach a decision as to who gets to live and who doesn't.
Because the film was based on a stage play, it mostly relies on dialogue. Which in movie terms means lots of talking heads and not much happening. While there are times when that style of filmmaking can work (look to Jerome Bixby's The Man From Earth for proof of concept), there are times when it doesn't work as well as you might expect. In the case of The God Committee, while the commentary on modern medicine is appreciated, the general presentation is a bit bland and feels a little dull. There's not much to maintain your attention other than the occasional clever shots of some characters breaking the fourth wall.
Most of the cast succeed in delivering energetic performances that keep the proceedings a bit more engaging. I say "most" because, despite a career spanning over twenty years, Julia Stiles still can't act. Regardless of what genre of film she's in or what character she is assigned, I have never seen her deviate from that same overdone monotone vocal delivery and stoic facial expression. In every film I've seen her in, she always plays her role like a teenager trying to look serious while reciting a history report to her class. If she had early experience performing Shakespeare, I have yet to believe it from her performance or lack thereof.
The God Committee is not a completely memorable film by any stretch of the imagination, but it is decent enough to warrant a curious watch. If nothing else, it's a good reminder as to why medical research is invaluable and why universal healthcare should be discussed more often than it is.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.
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