Some will feel privileged to see human drama and an aspect of life not often seen on the movie screen. Others will feel haunted by it and wish they never saw it. For sure, few will leave the film unaffected.
The English Surgeon
Even God Can't Save Everyone
2007 · 1h 33m · N/A
Documentary
Directed by
Geoffrey Smith
Overview
This documentary offers a glimpse into the life of an English neurosurgeon, Henry Marsh, situated in Ukraine, as we are exposed to the overwhelming dilemmas he has to face and the burden he has to carry throughout his profession.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
Like Marsh, the filmmaker has taken a sort of triage approach to telling the tale, with near-perfect pacing as he moves between Marsh, the patients, and Marsh's wonderful Ukrainian colleague, neurosurgeon Igor Kurilets.
[A] superb documentary.
Why see such a difficult film? For the same reason Smith made it: There is great beauty in watching one heroic soul insist that he can improve upon a cruel and complex world.
[Director] Smith seems intent on turning Marsh into a folk hero. That's fine, I suppose, although it would have been informative to take a closer look at Ukraine's medical nightmare -- its causes and its prognosis.
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