Last weekend, Congress approved the historical health-reform bill. Now it has to make a metaphorically long trek across Washington DC to the Senate. Senators will be bogged down in debate and literature from lobbyists and activists -- possibly for months to come. While they cannot escape their duty, they will need occasional movie breaks for sanity -- or at least we'd highly recommend them.
Here are eight films they can watch and still technically be working on health care reform.
'The Rainmaker' (1997)Post-'80s Francis Ford Coppola and film versions of John Grisham novels are spotty at best. While the film has plot holes that LeBron James could walk through, its portrayal of an insurance company denying a dying man care is gruesome. It's no 'Saw'; the fear it inspires comes from knowing that this actually happens. Jon Voight plays the company's lawyer, a villain with Michael Myers-like emotions, and Matt Damon is the babysitter in lawyer's garb.
'Like Father Like Son' (1987)Kirk Cameron's brief '80s stardom seems as far from the health care bill as Leonardo DiCaprio is from 'Growing Pains.' However, the B-story in this staple 'The-Parent-is-Really-the-Child' comedy is a hospital's reluctance to provide care to the uninsured. Dudley Moore's character, Jack, doesn't believe that poor people deserve to be healthy. Of course, a sexy yet intelligent female doctor, played by Catherine Hicks, tries to change his mind. Only when his teenage son (Kirk Cameron) enters his body does Jack learn humanity. Look senators, even an '80s teen got it, and '80s teens liked mullets.
'M*A*S*H' (1972)There is a comparison one could make to the current health care situation and a war zone, but that's not why this black comedy is appropriate now. Patients often believe that doctors are larger than life. But while most are brilliant minds, they're still fallible humans, just like politicians. Robert Altman's masterpiece does a superb job of showing how even talented surgeons are normal people in incredible situations. Senators, keep this in mind when deciding how much power doctors should have in setting health care costs.
'John Q' (2002)If this movie were a tool, it would be a sledgehammer ... a sledgehammer with a propensity for melodrama. Denzel Washington's character hijacks an ER when his fascist insurance company won't pay for a heart transplant his son will die without. Nick Cassavetes based it on a true story, even though the film became distorted and over the top. Still, while skewed, many politicians only respond to blatant screaming.
'Sicko' (2007)This has to be the only health care film more deliberate than 'John Q.' The Oscar-nominated doc mocks the American health care system in Michael Moore's signature 'Fight-the-Man-with-Strong-Research-and-Smirks' style. Like all of his work, he only shows the side of the Little Man. However, since senators are usually on the Big Man side, it wouldn't hurt them to see. They will even see footage of the much-derided socialized health care systems abroad and its happy customers.
'Malice' (1993)The soaring costs of health are not just because cat scans are pricier. It's also because of unnecessary medical procedures and malpractice lawsuits. Aaron Sorkin and Scott Frank wrote this at the height of sue-happy USA. It depicts how health insurance can be defrauded out of millions and what legality doctors must face. If nothing else, Alec Baldwin's "I am God" speech will hold an unsettling mirror up to those Senators trying to play God.
'Critical Care' (1997)This hospital comedy, evermore poignant than 'Scrubs', set health insurance in its sights a decade ago. Albert Brooks is a doctor who is against treating uninsured patients -- but not opposed to sucking in every dime from insured patients, even if they'd be better off having their plug pulled. James Spader plays an young idealist doctor, who quickly becomes disenchanted by murky logistics. The satire proves a better system needs to be in place.
'Juno' (2007)Not only did this quirky film catapult Diablo Cody and Ellen Page to stardom, it also successfully portrayed a teenager's abortion dilemma. While Juno is far from typical, she has to deal with the same considerations all pregnant teens do. Ultimately, the image of little fingernails, and not lack of health care, dissuades her from getting an abortion. The House-approved health-reform bill has a provision that denies abortion coverage to the 36 million people who would receive subsidized insurance. Maybe the cute image of Ellen Page furrowing her brow will help Senators furrow their brows in debate.
Reader Comments (17)
Bill at 9:28PM on Nov 17th 2009
this article is BLATANTLY biased in favor of the Democrats' ambitions for health reform and ought to be removed from this website immediately. while I might agree that "even legislators deserve a popcorn break", watching any of these movies would only push them towards siding with those seeking to destroy private insurance and have the government take it all over. as such, this list of movies does nothing to expose anyone's mind to the complicated issue of health reform; rather, it serves only to indoctrinate viewers into Leftist ideology.
some of Ryan McKee's (this article's author) comments about the movies listed here are laughable. perfect example, he says Michael Moore's style is to "fight the man with strong research and a smirk". WHAT?!?! nothing could be further from the truth. McKee also says the film is a "documentary". wrong again. let me edify Ryan McKee about his job: Michael Moore is not a documentarian. he is a propagandist. the "research" presented in his films is either massaged and twisted to fit his goals, or is nakedly untrue. the following link does a good job of exposing all the blatant falsehoods in "Sicko" that Ryan McKee apparently thinks have been thoroughly researched: http://www.weirdrepublic.com/episode83.htm
I could go into detail in every one of these movies, about how they're all leftist and how they all serve the Democrats' ends towards government run health care. however, I have no corresponding movies to point to from the Right's perspective about the dangers of government run health care because no such movies exist. however, we can easily make up a storyline right quick:
movies love to champion the individual over the oppressive State (which, ironically, is a conservative precept--the power and autonomy of the individual). so, our movie will, of course, end with the protagonist winning over an oppressive state seeking to crush his freedoms. the struggle in the movie will be how he (or a loved one) has been diagnosed with some sort of terrible disease (let's pick one, say, cancer), but the State refuses to treat our hero bc he's either too old, or the queue to be treated is too long, or because the government is already over budget and has decided not to spend any more of our tax money on the particular treatment our hero needs. our hero tries to tell the government he'll pay for the treatment himself because he has the money, but the govt tells him, "Sorry, even if we could allow you to do that, we couldn't let you skip the line. you'll just have to wait for an appointment to become available while your cancer is busy metastasizing." our hero knows this is a death sentence, and is frustrated beyond words because, back in 2009, before this horrible legislation was passed, he would've easily been able to get treatment through his private insurance. but since this is 2019 and all private insurance has been crowded out of the market and bankrupted by the "government option" undercutting its prices, our hero has nowhere to turn. so he resorts to force. he storms into a hospital with guns drawn and takes hostages who he then forces to treat him. the hospital is quickly surrounded by police and SWAT teams. they eventually make their way into the hospital and find our poor hero undergoing radiation treatment. they go to arrest him, he goes for his gun, and the situation ends with our hero being slaughtered by agents of the State. how sad. all because he couldn't get the treatment he needed because the government had already decided it would not provide it to him. since government medicine is the only game in town, our hero had to either take matters into his own hands, or die trying. sadly, he died trying.
so, Ryan McKee, I think this movie I've just written should also be on the legislators' required viewing list. don't you?
please remove this steaming pile of an article from the moviefone website ASAP. if it provided ample balance to the issue I wouldn't have a problem with it, but it doesn't. it's a clear endorsement of the Democrats' health care ambitions, and it's dispicable.
Rick at 11:27PM on Nov 17th 2009
Your a douchebag.
Bill at 11:47AM on Nov 18th 2009
two things. I may be a douchebag, BUT:
1. at least I can spell "you're", you illiterate buffoon.
2. at least I understand the stakes of the health care debate. you clearly do not, or you wouldn't have a problem with my complaint about McKee's bias.
have a nice life with your stupidity.
Earl at 7:21PM on Nov 18th 2009
Could you please offer YOUR list of health care movies? I'm not sure there are many "healthcare investors victimized by the poor and uninsured" movies out there. If there are some, I'm not sure if many people went to see them.
Bill at 1:15PM on Nov 18th 2009
@ Earl:
you're missing my point. first of all, I said there are no corresponding movies from the Right's perspective. and why would there be? we don't have govt run health care (yet) in this country, so why would anyone bother wasting their time making a movie about a problem (govt run health care) that doesn't exist? it'd be like me trying to make a serious polemical movie about the problem the country is having with the unicorn overpopulation. that said, if govt health care does pass, in the future you might see some movies blasting it.
the movie script I came up with on the spot in my first post shows exactly how such a movie might go down: the individual is helpless in the face of the State, which plays by the rules it makes for itself. if you need health care and the State says no, guess what? you're screwed!
this is the thing you need to understand, Earl: just because you have guaranteed INSURANCE doesn't mean you have guaranteed ACCESS to care. millions of Britons and Canadians have learned this the hard way. just because the govt says it will pay for your bills doesn't mean the govt can provide you the treatment you need when you need it. the govt will have to RATION the care it provides in order to ensure there's "enough to go around", which of course there never will be. nowhere in the world has it EVER been demonstrated that a market operates more efficiently by government rationing than it does when PRICE rations goods and services.
here's an analogy: let's say I make $40,000/year. you sue me in civil court for $30 million and win. you now have a judgment against me for $30 million that I must pay. but, what is the likelihood that you will ever actually get $30 million out of me? I only make $40k/year! sure, the law might be on your side, but you'll never actually get the money. govt rationed health care is the same way. sure you have insurance, you just won't have as much access to care. fewer doctors and nurses, fewer facilities, more patients, longer waits, a fixed budget determined by govt bureaucrats...what could possibly go wrong there!?
so, the movie you need to be asking for is not the movie that shows how the poor insurance companies are being defrauded by citizens. no no. those insurance companies will all be put out of business by the govt within 5-10 years. the movie you need to asking to see is the movie that I described, that shows the ordinary citizen who needs urgent care that the State simply will not provide. that's the movie that shows the true horrors of a govt run system.
Ryan at 11:40AM on Nov 19th 2009
As we are all aware, movies are only made about things that have happened. The reason no one has made a movie about the problems with public health care is because no one as been creative enough to think of something that hasn't happened yet. That's why.
Ryan at 11:56AM on Nov 19th 2009
Additionally, I firmly believe that Mr. McKee wrote this article to influence the congressmen that spend their time reading the articles on moviefone.com.
Having studied congress's internet habits, I can tell you that posting an opinion on a movie site will have an immeasurable effect on the direction the health care debate will take. It's irresponsible to state one's opinions where those opinions can be seen by others.
Earl at 5:48AM on Nov 22nd 2009
So, the list is not bias; there are no right leaning movies. You feel they should have never created the list.
The current system has flaws. If someone can come up with a better system, I'm for it.
Dan at 11:09PM on Nov 17th 2009
Hilarious
Citylendersgroup at 10:00AM on Nov 18th 2009
Hey Ryan, who hired you? This is an entertainment site, not a political one. If you want to be a political hack, go work for CNN. And BTW, if you are interested in politics you should follow polls before voicing your opinion. An overwhelming majority do not want this bill to pass.
Tony at 1:52PM on Nov 18th 2009
You are all missing the point. Ryan actually recomended that we watch "Like Father Like Son". That is true insanity regardless of politics.
CJM at 4:44PM on Nov 19th 2009
Thanks for some great movie ideas!
Lindsay at 5:12PM on Nov 19th 2009
Funny list, Ryan.
Bill, calm down. I respect your passion, but this is an innocuous humor piece. You're misinterpreting the author's intentions, methinks. You should argue your views on the Huffington Post or some such site, if you're truly interested in a debate. You would do better for your cause there.
Kristen at 2:23PM on Nov 22nd 2009
I totally agree with Bill.
Lindsay--That is exactly what the writer wants you to think...that it is humorous. It is disguised as a "light and airy" article, while it is exactly propaganda. This is a very intense debate, and I do not think many take it lightly.
I'm not saying our current health care system may be the best, but it sure beats this TERRIBLE bill our government wants to put through. Read the Constitution...if you have any knowledge of how to understand it, you know the health care bill goes against every one of our core values and principles this country was built on.
If somehow this health care bill goes through, I think everyone in Washington will be in for a BIG surprise from the citizens of the U.S. Our politicians are so out of touch with the people and with reality...if they WERE in touch, this wouldn't be an issue. They almost remind me of Marie Antoinette. I don't know anyone that is in favor of this bill, both Republican and Democrat.
sheila at 8:47PM on Nov 29th 2009
As a healthcare worker, I have to agree Bill. He is right about everything. There will be fewer docs and fewer nurses. I have been in this field for about 13 years. I have worked for a large group of physicians and now just one physician. They are not in it for the money, because if they were, they need raises. I don't think the general public realize how many hours a physician puts in on a weekly basis. Or how much time they spend worrying about an individual person, are they better, how can (I) get them better. Do the people know that Canada has gov. healthcare and those who need tests such as MRI's, CAT Scans, Blood work ups come accross the boarder here to get them done because there is a back log of about 6mos. If a person were to have a stage II cancer and wait that long, it could be a stage III or IV by the time they get their testing done and results back to them. The docs I know, practice because they want to make patients and keep patients healthy. But, for the hours they work and the little money they are already fighting for with insurance companies to get paid for services, I can see that many of them will stop practicing or won't accept govt ins. Some may go to work for the ins companies. I can see that our future docs, (our children) won't go into medicine. I agree that everyone should be able to have health coverage. I have many family members that don't have coverage. But there needs to be laws set into place on who qualifies. A public option, yes, but as the spouse of the ins. holder, who works for a small company, it is terrifying to wonder if they will drop our coverage if this plan goes through. Why wouldn't they. It would save all of the small businesses a boat load of money. This cannot be a good thing. The Senate needs to carefully review and take into consideration the domino effect of what passing it as is, will do.
josh at 3:44PM on Dec 5th 2009
So if you'll notice, anyone who is a Right leaning commentor has left a large response. Don't over extend your point; going off on a tangent about businesses is pointless.
As a Liberal minded citizen, I believe everyone deserves to have health care. It should be one of the unalienable rights. For example, "Timmy" can go to public school to learn, but he can't recieve public health care if he breaks his arm?
Finally, I decided to rebuttle the Liberal argument with a long ongoing response much like our Conservative counterparts to display the seeming monotony of their comments. This article is an opinion entertainment piece. Regard it as such, and not hard news, Bill, got it?
laura robert at 12:07PM on Jan 23rd 2010
Critical Care is a very good movie.I loved the hospital comedy which showed in it.
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