The premise is the only redeeming part, and thanks to a great cast. It is most intriguing to have a story set in the medical society. The simple fact that private hospitals are run like businesses where patients are just customers leading to an invoice and a profit has potential as a dramatic subtext, especially with good surgeons, caring for their jobs and patients, at a loss in this "no holds barred" arena.
Unfortunately, as pointed by the two previous reviewers, the film-makers made two wrong choices. First we don't need to experience the backstory of 10 years before. The cutting back and forth is really distracting and it doesn't move the story forward. Then here lies the biggest problem: the story is pointless. Probably because Director Rouffio and his screenwriter Conchon were stuck with the true story it is based on. But the intercut flashbacks are at odds with a documentary approach. So we are left to be content with an anecdotal storyline.
Pity we didn't get a better movie with Piccoli, Depardieu and the rest. So much so that it is an endemic disease of French movies that the film-makers are so proud of their premise they don't care if the story leads somewhere.
