EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES SHOWS HOW A NEW MEDICAL TREATMENT EMERGES FROM A SCIENTIFIC IDEA
Political scientists know how a bill becomes a law, and in 2009 Americans learned how bills do not become law, but in Extraordinary Measures, directed by Tom Vaughan, filmviewers watch how a scientific treatment for Pompe (a form of muscular dystrophy) moves from an idea in the head of Professor Robert Stonehill (played by Harrison Ford) to a treatment for the sick daughters of John Crowley (played by Brendan Fraser). For showing that difficult process with all its guts and obstacles, as described in the 2006 book The Cure by Geeta Anand, the Political Film Society has nominated Extraordinary Measures as best film exposé of 2010. If released in 2009, more accolades would already have been heaped upon this heart-warming film, which may bring tears of joy to filmviewers as it does to Aileen Crowley and life itself to many (played by Keri Russell). MH