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Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell, Courtney B. Vance, Meredith Droeger ... see more see more... , Diego Velázquez , Sam M. Hall , Patrick Bauchau , Jared Harris , Alan Ruck , David Clennon , Dee Wallace , Ayanna Berkshire , P.J. Byrne , Andrea White , G.J. Echternkamp , Vu Pham , Derek Webster , Jana Lee Hamblin , Shelly Lipkin , Chris Harder , Eric Derovanessian , Patricia Ferguson , Jeanette McMahon , Claire Brennan , Tra'Renee Chambers , Quigley Provost-Landrum , Kimberly Howard , Lily Mariye , Sherilyn Lawson , Eric Martin Reid , Sharonlee McLean , Bryce Flint-Somerville , Jeanine Jackson , Gavin Bristol , Robert Blanche , Olga Sanchez , Chrisse Roccaro , Michael Shamberg , John Crowley , Christopher Desmond Williams , Melanie Sanders , Brennan Claire

Inspired by an incredible true story, the CBS Films docudrama portrays one father's desperate quest to save his children from succumbing to a rare life-threatening genetic disorder. Working-class fath... read more read more...er John Crowley (Brendan Fraser) is finally on the fast track to corporate success when his two young children, Megan and Patrick, are diagnosed with Pompe disease -- a condition that prevents the body from breaking down sugar. In time, it disables the heart and the muscles, ultimately resulting in death. With the support of his wife, Aileen (Keri Russell), John ditches his career and teams with unconventional specialist Dr. Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford) to found a bio-tech company and develop a cure in time to save the lives of Megan and Patrick. As Dr. Stonehill works tirelessly to prove the theories that made him the black sheep of the medical community, a powerful bond is forged between the two unlikely allies. Still, their greatest struggle is yet to come. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

55% liked it

73,199 ratings

Critics

28% liked it

136 critics

PG, 1 hr. 46 min.

Directed by: Tom Vaughan

Release Date: January 22, 2010

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DVD Release Date: May 18, 2010

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Flixster Reviews (2,495)

  • FiLmCrAzY
    July 25, 2011
    FiLmCrAzY
    Its an okay movie. Ford and Fraser are good strong leads with a good supporting cast. The storyline is okay and although based on a true story i dont think its really a best movie maker, should just of stayed for tv movie.
    its a nice enough heart warming, if not inspiring movie ... read moreof one dads motivation to cure his kids,but this movie is only 'okay' and is okay enough to watch on a sunday afternoon.
  • deano
    June 19, 2011
    deano
    Taking a break from trying to amuse the kids with forgettable family films, Brendan Fraser is trying to save the kids with tolerable family drama.
    The first feature made by CBS Films, Extraordinary Measures is largely bereft of the mawkish excess of recent kids-with-cancer... read more slog Matching Jack. Sick children and Crowley's (Fraser) selfless wife Aileen (Keri Russell) often disappear, leaving us with starstruck Fraser and Harrison Ford arguing, or fighting the power. Jared Harris is suitably terse as a cold-hearted pharmaceutical "suit", yet professionally crabby Ford ensures that those on the front line of medicine aren't whitewashed as altruistic saints.
    This is terribly tense - or draining, even with Fraser's constant effort to prove he's a serious performer by bugging his eyes in a serious manner. But being unaffected by the prime objective is impossible.
  • fb1576983399
    April 29, 2011
    fb1576983399
    Poor acting by Frasier and Ford, no real focus on the disease that the kids suffer from and many pointless scenes that seem to just extend the movie and do nothing else.
  • fb733768972
    November 27, 2010
    fb733768972
    Can't help but feel like a big budgeted tv film, but that's alright, because it is a damn good one. Never has such a basic story grabbed my attention and make me feel for every character in a film before. It is far too basic to call a great film, but for what it is, it is brillia... read morent. It is perfectly casted and the story is well paced. Extraordinary Measures, had me smiling, frustrated, sympathetic, and crying by the final moments of the film. It's a great story that is easy to think of, but it is portrayed to perfection. I am in love with this movie!
  • Gx7
    September 19, 2010
    Gx7
    A very heart warming, feel good story. Loved Harrison Fords character. Loved the bits about Theories and reality. On my Recommended list. (and Im not particularly sure why people rated this movie so low, psshh! I liked it.)
  • bbcfloridabound
    August 31, 2010
    bbcfloridabound
    Harrison Ford plays an excellent part. This is about medical research to develop a new drug to help with a children's disease. This one hit very close to home, so I will limit my review and say its worth 5 stars.
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    August 23, 2010
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Great Movie! Amazing absolutely fantastic. It's a tear dropper for anyone. Recommended for everyone. :)

    A Portland couple have two children with Pompe disease, a genetic anomaly that kills before a child's tenth birthday. The husband, John, who's in advertising, contacts Rober... read moret Stonehill, a researcher who has a theory on an enzyme treatment. He has little money to pursue his research, and a thorny personality that drives away colleagues and funders. John and his wife Aileen raise money for to get Stonehill going, then John takes on the task full time, working with venture capitalists and then a rival team of researchers. Time is passing, Stonehill's antics get in the way, and the profit motive may upend John's hopes. Can the researchers succeed in time for the Crowley's.
  • Tomassgringo
    August 11, 2010
    Tomassgringo
    Sappy feel good movie, At best this is a made for tv movie. All acting was mediocre at best. Sweet story, but a drug developed based on personal gain drawn out into a movie was too much! Happy for the kids... but I could have done without the movie telling me about it.
  • sononothing
    July 10, 2010
    sononothing
    Extraordinary Measures follows the story of P.R. man John Crowley (Brendan Fraser) and his wife Aileen (Keri Russell) as they cope with and search for a cure to the genetic disorder plaguing two of their children. John's research leads him to Dr. Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford),... read more who is a leader in theorizing cures for the disease, but has no real funding to test them. The film unfolds as the two develop an organization and raise capital so that John can find a cure for his children.


    Extraordinary Measures feels like a made for TV film, probably for Lifetime or O!, the difference being that the budgets are bigger and you have a cast that has been heard of before. It's paint by numbers here: John's desperate, reaches out to Stonehill, Stonehill shoots him down, promises are made, Stonehill meets the kids, one kid is very adult-like, Stonehill falls in line, away we go. We've seen this plot thousands of times. There's nothing new here. Fraser is a little over the top as the father; I know he should be over the top as THE father, but he seems to ham it up on the wrong occasions. Keri Russell is very good in the film, but she is used more as a back drop for Fraser, a shoulder to cry on so to speak. More of a role for her would have benefited this film tremendously. That brings us to Mr. Ford, who has seen better days, yet I can't help but feel that this is the closest to the real Harrison Ford you'll ever see on screen- quiet, reserved, wants to be left the hell alone, yet he'll rip your head off as needed. Sadly, he's too good for the material he's given.



    This is supposed to be one of those films that tears at the heartstrings, making you feel for a father willing to do anything for his kids, like make seven figures and move into a mansion. That's a hard thing to do. You're more likely to be checking your watch at the hour point and praying for either a cure or death during the closing thirty. Three words- cliched, hokey, and dull.
  • middleeasternfilms
    June 5, 2010
    middleeasternfilms
    I watched this for Harrison Ford and that's it. Otherwise, it falls into the "made-for-tv-movies that are dramas based on a real-life situation". Except it was a theatre release. Brendan Fraser is still vastly overrated as an actor, though he does try.

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Critic Reviews

Jonathan F. Richards
March 2, 2010
Jonathan F. Richards, Film.com

Harrison Ford still retains enough of his old movie star magic to ramp up the electricity a bit when he's onscreen, but this only makes you want to see him do something that makes better use of his gi... Full Review

Peter Rainer
January 25, 2010
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

There's something off-putting about this film's optimism: After all, how many people can afford to do what Crowley did? Full Review

Andrea Gronvall
January 25, 2010
Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader

It sometimes feels like one of those "disease of the week" TV movies from the 1970s. Full Review

Stephanie Zacharek
January 25, 2010
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

It's about as dramatically taut as your garden-variety board meeting. And it makes you realize that jerking a tear or two isn't necessarily a bad thing for a filmmaker to do, if it at least keeps your... Full Review

David Edelstein
January 25, 2010
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

Anyway, I cried. A lot. What can I say? I'm a sucker for kids on ventilators. Full Review

Stephen Cole
January 22, 2010
Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail

At first glance, it feels like one of those inspirational weepies TV used to churn out, with a seasoned actress like Elizabeth Montgomery playing the flinty heroine. Full Review

James Rocchi
January 22, 2010
James Rocchi, MSN Movies

Your heart can't help but be moved. Your brain can't help but groan. Full Review

Richard Roeper
January 22, 2010
Richard Roeper, Richard Roeper.com

Extraordinary Measures, Mediocre Movie. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
January 22, 2010
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

Vaughan has a tendency to underline, italicize and boldface the emotion when no such emphasis is needed. Full Review

Lou Lumenick
January 22, 2010
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

As the film builds to a credulity-testing climax, there is less schmaltz than you might expect from the screenwriter of Chocolat -- though the filmmakers seldom hesitate to milk the Crowley kids and o... Full Review

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