The Good Doctor

Not the usual doctors as heroes film, this one shows some dark sides. A lonely Brit resident is in his first year at an L A hospital. He's not really sure why he became a doctor other than to gain respect. His boss is a distracted lightweight and a senior doctor called in to consult is a fatuous windbag. A patient gets sick and the senior doctors are baffled, the patient gets worse but because all the normal tests are done it is all shrugged off. Then the relative ease doctors can get involved in the drug trade is depicted. The protagonist seems to get over it all and moves along with his career. Could've used some more tension and humour, although the dinner scene with the family from suburban hell was good for a laff.

The Good Doctor (2011)

*** (out of 4)

Orlando Bloom plays Dr. Martin Blake, a man with a good job, a nice car, a fine apartment and he appears to have anything you'd want but he's actually quite lonely. He thinks he finds someone special in a young patient (Riley Keough) who is suffering from a kidney disease but soon the doctor's kindness turns to obsession. THE GOOD DOCTOR has gotten some fairly negative reviews but I think they were a bit unfair. Yes, if you're wanting a film that's going to explain everything to you then it's best to skip this one. In fact, we never really learn why Martin is so lonely, why he can't seem to connect with people and we really don't even get to know why he wants to be a doctor or why he becomes obsessed. This is one of those independent movies that wants to make the viewer do a lot of thinking and while it's not a complete success I still found the story compelling and the performances very good. Bloom was perfect in his role as the doctor and with the haircut and performance style I really couldn't help but think of Anthony Perkins in PSYCHO. The performance here certainly isn't legendary like that one but I found a lot of similarities between the characters. Bloom really does a great job at playing this lonely character and you believe it just by the sadness that his eyes carry. I always say that acting with your eyes can be the hardest thing to do yet Bloom gets so much across here. I also really liked Riley Keough in the role of the patient who forms this special bond with the doctor. The actors have some great chemistry together. Taraji P. Henson is excellent in her role as a nurse who doesn't get along with the doctor and we get nice support from Michael Pena and Rob Morrow. There are parts of the story that certainly don't work but I must admit that the film kept me on the edge of my seat because I was never quite certain where it was going to go or how everything was going to play out. I won't ruin the ending but I think it worked just fine but I'm sure everyone will take something different away from it.

Dr. Martin Blake (Orlando Bloom) is six days into his residency and out to make a good impression. Unfortunately, after an incident involving a patient's missed allergy and antibiotics, Blake seems a bit questionable to his superiors.

In addition, Blake becomes obsessed with a former female patient (Riley Keough). So much so as to go to extremely unethical, even dangerously illegal lengths to get her back in the hospital. We soon see just what THE GOOD DOCTOR is really capable of doing to get what he wants.

Bloom is wonderfully low-key in his sinister role. His character is a malevolent force, so utterly selfish as to be oblivious to just how despicable his actions truly are. He's ruthless in a laid-back way that's far more effective than if he'd played it as some overt madman.

In the end, the damage he causes is for "love" and self-preservation...

The Good Doctor – TRASH IT (C+) The good doctor is about a young doctor getting obsessed with his teenage patient so much that he change her medicines to keep her longer in the hospital. The scenario is interesting how a young doctor feels disrespected, lonesome and misfit. The moment he finds some attention and affection from a patient he starts to reply on her and goes the extra lengths to keep her in front of his eyes. Orlando Bloom rarely does anything acting oriented since he made his fortune on his luck and good looks solely with Pirates of the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings trilogy. So coming out of big blockbuster his movie to do this a good idea and I think he did a decent job and kept you engaged. Riley Keough is a fresh face and maybe at this time known being the granddaughter of Elvis Presley and future Mrs. Alex Pettyfer, she defiantly has the potential to go places if right role is provided. So far here and in her first movie The Runaways, she was impressive. The movie had interesting concept but towards the end it went very bleak and kind of trying too hard. So avoid it, not worth spending time.

Is it my home theater or the cast really are whispering? I barely heard the words they're saying. So I wasn't quite sure if I get this movie. I checked wiki and suddenly I felt enlightened.

Reading the synopsis makes this movie looks so good. However I didn't really feel that way last night. And I couldn't stand watching Orlando's bangs. So weird because they ruin my Legolas' image. And so with all the doctors and the staffs. They're having too much "fun" at the hospital, giving the negative image to the hospital. Like they're playing around and not serious about their job. Martin's is the only one is good but slowly becoming crazy.

One thing that seems implausible to me about the story. When Mrs. Nixon wants to thank Martin for taking a very good care of her daughter by giving him a present. But she doesn't have time to send it so she invites Martin to her house only to get the present. It's weird. She can deliver it by package service, right? I know why it is made like this because it has something to do with Martin's next move. But please... Give me something more plausible. Is this too much to ask?