Extraordinary Measures For Extraordinary Circumstances
Extraordinary Measures is a movie starring Harrison Ford. The movie is based on a real life family who take a remarkable approach to the degenerative disease their children suffer. Frustrated at being unable to find a cure for an illness affecting their children and unwilling to sit back and do nothing the parents risk everything they have to fund researcher in this field. Is this a remarkable step to take? Would not every parent do the same for their sick child?
Without a doubt most parents would be devastated to learn their children had inherited a degenerative disease. Most parents would take any steps possible to ensure their child received the best treatment available. However, not every parent has the confidence to challenge systems designed to keep the cog in the wheel so to speak.
Extraordinary Measures was released at cinemas during the Month President Obama was sworn into office. The film is a representation of the new mood of optimism sweeping the country. The movie highlights in a positive way how individuals can stand up and be counted despite the odds stacked against them. It is a movie that is indeed heart warming in its portrayal of unconditional honest love of parents for their children.
One of the many themes of the movie is exploring the issues parents of children with disabilities face on a daily basis. The expectation of good quality and available health care that helps to make life more bearable for the children concerned is one such issue. So too is the issue of overcoming apparently insurmountable obstacles.
The thorny debate surrounding the health care reform bill the new President hopes to push through is also evident in the narrative of the movie. The role of the Doctor, played by Harrison Ford, is to let people know that despite his expertise taking him to the top of his field he is nonetheless still just a human being with faults. He is trying his best, his best might not be good enough but it is all he has to offer.
Americans do not hold a monopoly on overcoming daily challenges and winning through despite the odds. This is common among most cultures. Across the globe people triumph over tragedy and adversity and go on to create hope even in the hardest of hearts.
Although the movie looks at the notion of hope from an extreme case there are examples of hope alive and well and living in the apparent mundane and ordinary. Hope is found wherever individuals and or communities strive and thrive despite expectations to the contrary. To continue to hope despite knowing the desired outcome is not going to change may seem foolhardy in some eyes. However, continuing to fight on brings with it a different idea of the meaning of the word hope. A journey involving hope implies little certainty. What becomes apparent in this type of journey is the human capacity for compassion, generosity and empathy.
Extraordinary measures are taken by people the world over. Going above and beyond what is expected of human beings as parents, children, colleagues, brothers and sisters, neighbours, communities occurs on a daily basis in all walks of life. People are social beings and positive, meaningful interaction with each other is necessary for societies to survive. A new President, what is more a new Black President, has ushered America into a period of optimism. Here is hoping cynicism is kept at bay for quite sometime to come.
” – Jez”As you’re always saying, The Beastie Boys fought and possibly died for my right to party. Online Movie Watching He suggested Piaf which meant little sparrow, fitting because Edith Piaf was only 48 tall. I wanted to stay with these wonderful characters and be a part of their lives.
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