Doc & a Drink

DOCUMENTARY: the English Surgeon

DIRECTOR: Geoffrey Smith

REVIEWER: becky beamer

It’s been a while but Katy and I reunited this week for a Documentary viewing.  As promised in a previous post – I reviewed the English Surgeon in anticipation of the new film by Geoffery Smith.

Netflicks Summary:  Get acquainted with the work of British brain surgeon Henry Marsh, who, since his haunting first visit to a Russian hospital in the early 1990s, has been devoted to founding a quality brain surgery clinic in the former Soviet Union. Marsh cobbles together secondhand tools and used equipment from hospitals in the U.K. to treat patients in need, such as Marian, a Ukrainian man for whom Marsh is his greatest hope.

The first thing that stands out is how “very BBC” the visuals and story telling style is for this film.   This story was not assisted but a narrator which left the viewer a bit sleepy at a few points.  We were just sitting – waiting – for the narrator to push the story ahead.  I was a little disappointed by the tre conservative camerawork.  And low and behold – it was sponsored by the BBC.

On the upside – the English Surgeon did have the most tactile face I’ve seen in quite a while.  And the English Surgeon in combination with his Ukrainian counterpart were funny, insightful, and humanistic as characters.  Thier interaction inspired laughter and conversation.  I also have to admit I laughed OUT LOUD at least 3 points in the film.  On the other hand – I fell asleep about 1 hour in and woke up 15 minutes later.  At least I wasn’t the only one who took a cat nap during the same segment……. I think I can speak for Katy when I say that we both found the need to talk a bit about life, the health care system. and hard choices as the credits rolled.

It wasn’t the best but it wasn’t the worst.  Too bad it wasn’t just 1 hour I think it would have been a 4 out of 5…..

3 out of 5 Cheers

b.b

Tags: Becky Beamer, documentary, Documentary review, entertainment, Film review, friends, Fun, Geoffrey Smith, Medical, review, surgery