A Mistake

I'm shocked at the low rating. I think it's a very powerful drama that makes you think what you would do in place of the characters. Maybe it is a little bit slow in action but it kept me in suspense and worry for the characters. Highly recommend it.

Maybe I am biased because I like medical drama and how literally life altering decisions are made. But overall the movie sends a powerful message that can be applicable in all of our everyday lives. I definitely know I am not cut out for a surgeon or any medical professional of any kind. Perhaps those who actually work in the field might disagree with the presentation of events in the film, but again for a movie I think it was great.

It has been a while since I was pleasantly surprised by what I call a "small movie," which is by no means a negative term. Suffice it to say, A Mistake achieved just that.

I admire directors who dare to tackle heavy, genuinely sad, and often depressing topics. But these are the stories that need to be told. They matter. They carry a message.

A Mistake is brilliant because it resonates on so many levels. It sheds light on the immense pressure hospitals and their staff endure, but what makes this film so universally relatable is its exploration of humanity. We, as individuals, are the sum of our choices, and no one wants to be defined by a single mistake. At its core, this movie is about loss, responsibility, and-above all-forgiveness, beautifully conveyed through the outstanding performance of Elizabeth Banks.

Dr. Taylor, a female surgeon at a Wellington hospital, performs abdominal surgery on a young woman suffering from sepsis related to a problem with an anticonceptional device. Taylor's registrar, a surgeon in training, mistakenly cuts a major blood vessel when asked to insert a trocar drainage tube. The operation is extended. The patient dies the following morning. While the premise initially drew me to the film, I soon ascertained that next to nothing about it held my interest, from the main character (a stereotypically arrogant prima-donna of a surgeon) to the less-than-nuanced filmmaking. The narrative was a goner before it had barely begun. One might argue it was dead on arrival. (One needs to have a certain sympathy for the surgeon for a narrative like this to work.)

I love New Zealand and its people, I really do. But we are a very safe and predictable people, and so we tend to write terrible books (I should know I was forced to read a number of them in school) and make extremely bland films. 'A Mistake' is no exception. Sure, we got some Hollywood talent across the Pacific for this one, but the result was the same.

In fairness its not all bad. I quite like a film that bases itself around a simple concept, or one minor event that leads to a number of consequences. For a film like that, this is about as good as you can expect. Yes a lot of the drama feels very forced and the characters are absolutely ridiculous and in no way resemble how normal people act, but hey, I guess you have to jazz things up a bit for the sake of the film.

I don't know, I guess it's just disappointing because you almost always know exactly what you're going to get with a New Zealand made film. I keep waiting for the day someone breaks the mold, but this wasn't that occasion. A generous 6/10.

Elizabeth Banks is among my most favorite actresses - her latest movie was a must-see.

But, in hindsight, I am asking why.

1) This movie is set in New Zealand.

First of all, why do so many actors in this movie have an accent which doesn't resemble the Kiwi one? I have loads of friends from New Zealand and none of them sound like in this movie.

If anything, some of the actors sound very British instead.

2) While the premise of the movie is a decent one, the pace of this movie isn't keeping up with it. At times it feels a bit slow and boring.

3) Many of my family members are doctors, nurses or work in key roles in a hospital. While mistakes do happen, the details of the movie aren't likely under many circumstances. The medical devices used, protocols followed, and education/mentorship received is very exact these days and follows a strict regime.

4) Several story elements don't make much sense. Why was it such a big deal that some dog stays with her? How come that a lead surgeon/medical degree holder who isn't into cars drives a BMW E30 (a classic which would need a huge amount of effort/passion/tech to be on the road)? Why the crass language and swearing all the time by a degree-qualified doctor... profanities to show the extreme situation she is in? It can be done with a better script.

Why don't the lead actress and the protege have no chemistry at all?

Elizabeth Banks is still a great actress, but I don't think a medical drama is something she should do often.

Maybe the standards of movie making are lower for films set in New Zealand.