Hospital de Heróis

Howard Deutsch's "Article 99" is a gripping satire about the Veteran Administration that is in charge of the health care for the men and women that served the country in foreign conflicts and who obviously, have no other means of getting health care. The film is more poignant to watch right now with the problems the country is facing in Iraq because today's soldiers fighting there might have to face the bureaucracy that rules what can, or cannot, be done to veterans without insurance, or money to pay for medical care.

We meet a group of dedicated doctors at a facility who are real professionals trying to go around the rules a tyrannical hospital administrator wants to impose on them. Thus, they will resort to stealing supplies that are denied to them in whatever form. It's an outrage to even think that medical care is denied to the people that were at the front lines to defend the country.

Ray Liotta is the best thing in the movie. His Dr. Sturgess is a maverick that can do things that others would not dare to do. Mr. Liotta gets a magnificent chance to shine as the idealistic doctor who will do anything to help his patients. Kiefer Sutherland appears as the young doctor assign to the hospital and has no clue what he has gotten into, but learns fast. Kathy Burke is also good as the doctor who opposes Sturgess' method, only to realize he was right all along. Among the staff we see familiar faces, Forest Whitaker, John McGinley, John Mahoney, Eli Wallach, Keith David, Julie Bovasso, Jeffrey Tambor and others that do ensemble acting in wonderful fashion under Mr. Deutsch's command.

The film is an eye opener as to how red tape rules a lot of government agencies.

Set in a VA hospital, this movie illustrates what happens when "red tape" gets in the way of helping people. An enjoyable mixture of comedy and drama, it is reminiscent of the Altman classic M*A*S*H, staring Sutherland's father Donald. In fact, there's a nice salute to the elder Sutherland, during a scene between Keifer and an older hospital patient.

Those who didn't "get" this movie were perhaps looking for the wrong things. I won't say this movie was meant to inform, though perhaps it was. But it definitely makes you think. Is a medical system where doctors have to steal supplies and schedule proxy operations really what our country's heroes deserve? Moving and entertaining, I would definitely recommend this movie.

Article 99 displays a side of the medical profession seldom seen by society. The humor and over the top antics of the doctors, although extremely over done, are only the surface. Ray Liota's performance as the struggling ring leader of a rag tag group of vigilante doctors was not only strong, but honest. His ability to stay in character the entire time was a difficult feat, but he pulls it off sincerely. Kiefer Sutherland's performance was as equally well portrayed as Liota's, even though Sutherland's character is the polar opposite of Liota's. His portrayal of an upper class, arrogant, young intern was right on the money. However, it is not just their great performances, but the supporting cast is equally as fantastic. The dialogue is full of well written and delivered witty banter and the cast seem to play off each other well, but there is a serious under tone to the humor. The VA hospital in which all these caring individuals work is suffering badly from governmental cutbacks, a crooked administration and red tape as far as the eye can see. For those who are able to understand or "get this" film, it is a funny, poignant yet honest look at a different side of the medical field. In other words, this ain't ER or Chicago Hope, it's a whole new ball game.

There are many good things about this movie. There are a few that are not as "stellar" but no matter, when the subject is something as important as this, then that's what counts. (to those like user: Rick Peach that don't get it... read his reviews, and consider the source! This isn't an action movie!)

This is a movie about how shamefully the Veterans of our Armed Services are treated when it comes to medical care. The term Article 99 refers to when a serviceman/woman is told the care or operation they need will not be considered because it isn't a direct result of anything that occurred while actively serving. In a world where many countries have socialized health care for everyone- you would think here where capitalism rules the day, we could at LEAST take care of the people who have guaranteed our freedom and survival. And that is the message of this movie.

The way the message is conveyed is what we discuss movies for. The script can be at times overboard and some of Luther's (Keith David) pet phrases are trite, but he is the "been there, done that" man of the movie. He's seen it all and like a mascot of sorts, he seems to hang around the hospital ready to assist new patients who are lost in this bungling bureaucratic maze. Enter Travis (Troy Evans) a nice guy who just happens to need a triple bypass. When one of the men who is "Article 99'd" goes berserk and drives a pick up into the hospital, we see the main characters start to assert their personalities and their places in the hospital. Travis has a heart attack on the spot and it all unfolds from there.

Dr. Sturgess (Ray Liotta) is the voice of reason in this very illogical world. He is the head of a group of doctors (Forest Whitaker, Lea Thompson, John McGinley) who are there not for the money, but for "those who have borne the battle." They are joined by a well meaning Dr. Walton (Kathy Baker) a psychiatrist who chose to come to this place from a drug rehab clinic. Although inexperienced in the ways of this "jungle" she has her heart in the right place. The evil nemesis in all this is played by the administrator, Dr. Henry Dreyfoos (John Mahoney) who is more interested in counting q-tips than helping to ease the suffering and pain of the people for whom this place was built. His doctors have had to resort to stealing medical equipment and supplies from the departments experimenting on animals. Apparently a monkey can get a pacemaker, but not a Vet.

Some of the conditions in this hospital are deplorably shocking and terrible. There are the sick and dying and the forgotten. Also, there is the poignant relationship between the new intern, Dr. Morgan (Kiefer Sutherland) and his patient, Sam Abrams (Eli Wallach) as Dr. Morgan slowly realizes how special EACH of these people are. There is a story, a life and a sacrifice behind each bed pan, each IV, each tired old Vet.

Some of this movie is melodramatic and it may go to some extremes to make its point, but it is worth the watch. The performances by ALL are very good and it's a cast that's to die for. Even the smaller roles (Jeffery Tambor, Lynne Thigpen, Julie Bovasso) are so well cast. If for no other reason, watch it today and remember those who have given the "full measure of devotion" for us all.

I was surprised when I found this movie as it's a bit forgotten today despite having a cast of famous actors of those years. And when I finished it I was shocked at how much I liked it since despite its subject it had also some very funny moments.

In the beginning Pat Travis (Troy Evans, who is a bit forgotten today) is a military veteran that one day leaves his farm house as he has to go to a VA hospital. Once there, he finds a chaotic labirint of crazy obstacles and various funny characters. Luther (Keith David) is a veteran forced on a wheelchair used to the dysfunction in the place and he tells Pat ''There is always Article 99''. This is also Dr. Peter Morgan (Kiefer Sutherland)'s first day. He soon meets doctors Ruby Bodrick (John C. McGinley), Richard Sturgess (Ray Liotta) and Sid Handleman (Forest Whitaker) that take him under their wings and are surgeons who do unapproved operations. Nurse Robin van Dorn (Lea Thompson, Lorraine from BACK TO THE FUTURE) is a bit disgruntled towards Peter because she sees him as a dilettante. After a while Morgan rallies Luther and all the other veterans and they plan on a hostile takeover at the hospital for attending the patients without the administration's interference. Luther menaces the police with Polasky's automatic rifle and the police can't remove the veterans as the hospital is under federal jurisdiction. Soon the press arrives and the FBI goes there for assessing the situation. Under Luther's command, the veterans drop a massive banner in the hospital with written ''No surrender''. After they win this first battle, after a while there is another one as the new director wants to keep the old policies. Morgan and Sturgess will organize the last stand.

This film is like a document movie as it tackles the subject of what could happen if bureaucracy would rule supreme: there would be lack of medical equipment even for serious situations, the hospitals would be over-crowded (with long queues obviously) and many patients would risk their lives. What I liked most was the unintentional humour that came in three moments that I'll mention: 1) When Shooter Polaski drives to the hospital's entrance and starts a shooting rampage as he complains about a article 99 issue (2) When Luther is on an upper floor and two nurses want to take him back in his room but since he is in a wheelchair he grabs them with his arms and swirls them around in the corridory (3) When the veterans plan their rebellion and they scare the s**t out of the policemen and FBI agents in various ways as the officers try to break in,

While this is an underrated movie, it should be rediscovered for the subject and its cast, and I would recommend it also for the funny moments. And I just can't believe that it has a score of 6,1 as I am writing this review.