Professor Vivian Bearing (Emma Thompson) has devoted her life to the study and teaching of the work of John Donne pretty much to the exclusion of family and friends. She finds herself alone in the office of research oncologist Dr. Kelekian (Christopher Lloyd) with the diagnosis of advanced ovarian cancer and she must pull together her reserves to try to fight this battle or resolve to let in to it.
Of course, Kelekian and his main resident, Dr. Jason Posner (Jonathan M. Woodward), want a full-on and aggressive attack on the disease process in the name of research, while the insightful and tender nurse Susie Monahan (Audra McDonald) demands respect for Vivian's thoughts and desires in the matter.
This is truly a Thompson tour-de-force with exquisite direction by the famed Mike Nichols which takes us from shock to sorrow to irony and wry humor in Vivian's monologues and to the final acceptance.
This is not an easy film to watch but it certainly is an important film, and one I am very thankful for.
Based on a play by Margaret Edson, the teleplay was written by Emma Thompson. Noted writer Harold Pinter has a small role in a flashback as Vivian's father.
Rated PG-13 for some thematic material.
y personal rating: B+
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