Le grand simulateur

Paul McGann is Matthew Harris, who after a car accident, is able to fool everyone around him that he is a deceased medical student at a British hospital. He is assisted in his ruse by a very capable nurse, Christine Taylor(Amanda Donohoe).

A fair comparison could be Paddy Chayevsky's classic The Hospital, with a jump over the pond. McGann and Donohoe are a perfect pair of flamboyant, off the wall strangers who manage to connect at some level. Paper Mask is one of my favorite unknown movies.

Went to see this movie by mistake when we just fancied a movie one night - turns out this is in my top 5 ever (although can't put it on FB because it isn't listed!!!). Gotta be the single most underrated movie of all time. Grips you, chills you, excites you and then spits you out - if you can sleep after this one then you don't care about a thing!! Paul McGann is almost accidentally brilliant, and it is so well put together. I haven't written anything here about any other movie, just Paper Mask. Goes to show that it's publicity and marketing that makes you or breaks you..... Anyway, if this is out on DVD (doubt it - it doesn't even have a Wikipedia listing - disgraceful!), then it's a no brainer. When I lived in the UK Channel 4 showed it a couple of times and so I probably have it on a VHS somewhere, but sadly don't have an active VHS recorder anymore!!

A nifty little psychological thriller about a fake doctor in an English hospital. His first night on the emergency room is a tautly paced piece of film-making as he knows nothing about how to help accident victims, one who has a nasty looking cut on his hand and who the "doctor" ignorantly and with frightening incompetence, grabs the wrong way. It's wincing to watch. The movie doesn't take too much advantage of the most obvious situation, but delves into the hospital culture and relations among doctors, as well his relationship with a nurse. It's the girls all along that he really wanted, and being a doctor was a sure ticket to a more lively sex life. He was an orderly before, working in a hospital laundry room, and though quite intelligent (maybe he could have actually become a doctor the old-fashioned way), has a mean and devious streak in him, that one senior physician detects right off, but that eludes others. The movie could have gone for more shock value with his encounters with patients, but instead develops his weird character living a double life.

Paper Mask has got to be one of my most favourite films. The concept is so original and gripping. Paul McGann is fantastic as Porter-cum-Doctor Matthew Harris/Simon Hennessey. Although now nearly ten years old, this film is still brilliant to watch, and keeps you guessing right until the end.

If the plot of this movie is somewhat simple, the execution (!) is utterly fantastic. I went to this movie in the cinema when it came out not knowing what we were going to see (I think we walked into the wrong theater!!) What we got was the film of the century, thrilling and gripping and the thought of this really happening made it even more chilling. McGann is fantastic as he realises his "dream". Donohoe gets better and better as the movie moves along and her realisation that her position changes is cleverly acted. Why this movie has not received rave reviews over the years baffles me. Channel 4 have shown it 2 or 3 times and it must come out on DVD. Whilst it is set in the late 80s early 90s, it is pretty timeless. The message is simply don't get sick just in case.....! Enjoy