The Lazarus Syndrome

This TV movie rather weakly takes on the issue of big business, hospital ethics, and human health. I say "weakly" because the ending is just too sugared for words, and because the only convincing moments revolve around the relationship of Dr. St. Clair (Louis Gossett), a cardiologist, and Joe (Ron Hunter), his active, questioning, whistle-blower patient. The remainder of the cast is paid little attention to and it is unconvincing, stereotyped, and thin. So one is left with a few strong scenes, a few good ideas... but played in or against a sort of vacuous under-produced world so typical of TV movies.

Give credit though for the protest here of the bypass surgery business, the failure of the corporate take over of hospitals and health, and of that "progressive" technology it promotes. But give more credit to actor Ron Hunter's most convincing moments when he puts the medical establishment in both its public and personal manifestations on trial And rarely, if ever, in movies do we experience so strong a view of the patient's ordeal as against the doctor's "pressure." Now, I think back on it, Hunter delivers a kind of powerful manifesto on behalf of the centrality of the patient---one that should not be forgotten and overlooked. And for this, and for some good acting scenes from Gossett, the movie, I think is well worth viewing.