Alfred Blalock is chief surgeon at Johns Hopkins University, where he is pioneering new techniques in heart surgery. Blalock makes the acquaintance of Vivien Thomas, a carpenter hired to work at the University, and to his surprise discovers a man of keen intelligence who has a great interest in medicine. However, as a poor black man in the Jim Crow South, Thomas lacks the financial resources to obtain a medical degree, though he certainly has the knowledge and the desire. Blalock takes Thomas on as his lab assistant, and together they develop a technique that allows them to correct a common congenital heart defect in children. However, while they work side by side in the lab and in the operating room, Blalock and Thomas do not walk the same paths in society, and Thomas develops a deep resentment that he has been given little credit for his contribution to a medical innovation that makes Blalock famous.
This film is based on a true story which always boosts my rating. The story is straightforward and heartwarming, but complicated and cold at the same time. It is deep and tackles many different issues - race, animal testing, human experimenting, society "norms" and gender roles. Some of the topics are more subtle than others and it is executed very well and follows a logical path. I'm amazed that Mos Def (the rapper) was so good and he worked well with Alan Rickman's character. They carried the movie and laid the framework for a great true story of a pair of very different individuals who triumphed over adversity.
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Alan Rickman, Mos Def, Kyra Sedgwick
I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.
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