October 2, 1996 -- "Extreme Measures" is a taut, well-written medical suspense film with a story along the lines of "Coma."

The film stars Hugh Grant as Dr. Guy Luthan. He detects something not quite right when a homeless man dies of an unknown medical condition in his big city hospital emergency room.

It begins to appear that someone is kidnapping homeless men and conducting illegal medical experiments on them. Not only that, but when the good doctor gets too close to the truth, someone frames him for a crime he didn't commit to get him out of the picture.

The doctor sinks deeper and deeper into danger as he pursues this medical mystery. Grant is excellent, as is Sarah Jessica Parker ("LA Story," and "Honeymoon in Vegas") as nurse Jodie Trammel. Also effective are David Morse ("The Rock," "12 Monkeys") as FBI Agent Hare, and Bill Nunn ("Sister Act" and "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead"), as police officer Burke. These are three people who are under the influence of Dr. Lawrence Myrick (Gene Hackman) the evil doctor who is conducting the experiments.

The casting of the film is interesting because several of the leading actors in the film are better known for their roles in comedies rather than dramas, but they all do a fine job.

Director Michael Apted ("Class Action," "Thunderheart") does a good job keeping the suspense cranked up. The story is better written than most by Tony Gilroy and Michael Palmer (whose novel this film was adapted from).

It's not a great film, but it is better than average. It rates a B.

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Copyright © 1996 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.