Extraordinary Measures

If you see the ads for Extraordinary Measures, you quickly realize the marketing team isn't sure what they have and they don't trust the product they must sell. Sometimes, I see ads that make Extraordinary Measures seem like a potboiler of a thriller where two guys go into business together and end up fighting. Other ads make it appear to be a feel good, inspirational story about helping sick kids. Which is it?

"Inspired" by a true story ("inspired" is a word the lawyers force the marketing team to use when the story is so far from the truth even the hero's mother doesn't recognize the tale), Brendan Fraser stars as John Crowley - a corporate big wig in Portland with two children who suffer from Pompe Disease, which severely limits their chances of living past the age of 9-years old. Not one to give up or pray for the "blessing" of a painless death, John has been reading everything he can about scientific studies and experiments being conducted to help find a cure. The most promising of these studies is being run by Nebraska professor Dr. Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford).

While being a curmudgeonly, grumpy old man, Dr. Stonehill also is supremely dedicated to his groundbreaking and highly advanced theory. Now, hoping to save his children, John is about to start working with Dr. Stonehill.

Will the two of them be able to find a cure?

Will they be able to overcome the challenges in front of them?

Can they stay united when outside forces intervene?

Extraordinary Measures is quite average, but not horrible. Forget about those claims in its TV ads that it is more inspirational than The Blind Side. It's barely more inspirational than Avatar.

Director Tom Vaughan and writer Robert Nelson Jacobs (based on the novel by Geeta Anand) make Extraordinary Measures into a middle of the road movie that has some minor failings, some nice moments, but no amazing, mindblowing, emotionally draining scenes that make you feel like you have seen a massive dramatic powerhouse. Sure, we get a couple, obvious heart tugging scenes, but, thankfully, Vaughan doesn't allow them to become maudlin, and, sometimes, along with Jacobs, humanizes our characters with a bit of humor. However, not all of the acting performances are consistent.

Ford often over does it to show the grumpy old man part of his character, which isn't helped by some of the over-the-top dialogue and scenes trying much too hard to make him into some western, rural misanthrope. Luckily, he finds other moments to show Dr. Stonehill's strong moral fiber, extremely noble intentions and a soft, cuddly teddy bear who just wants to break out and hug someone.

Then, Fraser is solid, but sometimes you feel he has made Crowley into more of a surfer dude than serious Harvard Business School Grad. You have to admire his earnestness as he recites the predictable, mawkish and overtly obvious dialogue, but, at other times, you just want him to act his age and sound like an adult.

Extraordinary Measures has enough good to outweigh the bad, and fans of Fraser and Ford will find something exciting to make it worth the trip to the Cineplex.

Extraordinary Measures is rated PG for thematic material, language and a mild suggestive moment.