ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, September 28, 1996 TAG: 9609300120
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 12 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: MOVIE REVIEW
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
"Extreme Measures" is a fairly well made but uninspired and methodical conspiracy thriller.
Guy Louthen (Hugh Grant) is the brilliant young doctor who suspects that something abominable in being done to homeless New York men after one with inexplicable symptoms appears in his emergency room. When Guy pursues the matter, medical records and bodies disappear. Is it a sinister plot or the normal shortcomings of an underfunded urban health-care system?
Providing support in thoroughly stereotyped roles are Gene Hackman as the slick villain, and Sarah Jessica Parker as a plucky nurse. The script makes a weak attempt at humor with henchmen Burke (Bill Nunn) and Hare (David Morse) named after the famous British murderers.
Director Michael Apted isn't able to invest this mechanical, predictable plot with any energy. The film lumbers along at a slow pace with little physical action to a weak, preachy ending.
The acting is competent throughout, though the three leads have seldom been so poorly served by their make-up and lighting people. The stars look remarkably pale, washed out and tired.
A bad hair day can do that to a person, and, in this case, to an entire film.
Extreme Measures
* 1/2
A Columbia TriStar release playing at the Salem Valley 8 and Valley View 6. 115 min. Rated R for unnecessarily rough language and violence.
LENGTH: Short : 39 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker star in "Extremeby CNBMeasures." color.