Extraordinary Measures

It’s not often that a made-for-TV movie ascends to the big screen. In light of such a feat, this CBS original seems appropriately titled. In Extraordinary Measures, director Tom Vaughan (What Happens in Vegas) trades in crappy rom-coms to tell the true-life tale of a father who will stop at nothing to find a cure for his chronically ill children. Based on a nonfiction book by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Geeta Anand and boasting an all-star cast, the film has the ingredients of a dynamic drama. But something about this miracle story flatlines.

Once a working-class kid from Jersey, John Crowley (a bland Brendan Fraser) has gone from Harvard to the biopharmaceutical business, winning the heart of a beautiful bride (Keri Russell) along the way. Crowley is living the American dream­—with two exceptions. His children Megan and Patrick both suffer from Pompe disease, a genetic disorder that claims its victims at a young age. After a near-death scare with Megan, Crowley puts work on hold and enlists the aid of Dr. Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford, Han Solo in a lab coat), who holds the key to a potential Pompe cure. Swayed by Crowley’s noble quest and several sad faces—me Tarzan, you save my kids—Stonehill agrees to tackle the Goliath of mainstream medicine. 

The clashing ideals of passion-driven Crowley and those of FDA-regulated robots make for an interesting plot, and Ford enchants with the ego he established on the Death Star. But beyond these bonuses, Extraordinary Measures remains a meat-and-potatoes Lifetime saga that fails to give so much as a nod to the university where the real cure was first developed (hint: you are here). Twists and turns are dully delivered and altogether the film is nothing extraordinary, especially when you can hear keening Na’vi from the theater next door.