Medicine Man (1992) User Reviews

Solid rainforest drama

[discogoth · 7/10 · 9 December 2001]

When this movie came out in 1992, many critics seemed to feel that it was mediocre, or average at best. Even as a hardcore Connery fan I avoided the film simply based on a handful of reviews I had read in the media at the time.

Fast forward nearly ten years and the mixed reviews here on imdb reinforced my apathy towards the film. It wasn't until I borrowed a copy through a local library that I finally watched the movie just now, and I fail to see why it's supposedly not up to par. I thought it was a fine film in most respects: the storytelling was good, the dialogue was snappy, the cinematography was wonderful, and it had a positive message. It's not an action movie, but I never felt bored at all...if anything, it was a refreshing change of pace and scenery, and Sean Connery continues to astound me with his versatility. His acting was superb, which is not really a big suprise, but he seemed more into this role than some others I've seen him in. Even the wig and ponytail looked real!

Like a lot of other people, I found Lorraine Bracco's character quite annoying, almost insufferable at certain points, but that's the whole point: her character is supposed to be like that, and the truth is that if she didn't come across as so irritating then that would have been failed acting skills on her part. I think she did a great job at being annoying, which is what she was supposed to do. I imagine that if you took some ivy league lab rat scholar and dumped them right in the middle of a situation and place that's totally foreign to them, you'd probably get a reaction like the one she portrayed. I found the two leads had a good chemistry, and the constant tension and conflict between them was very convincing and helped to propel the story along.

All in all an enjoyable film, but some of the other aspects could have and should have been expanded. I felt that they spent too much time searching the trees for the plant they needed, and the whole conflict with the developers was thrown in at too late a juncture. These aren't major failings however, so I'd recommend the film to anyone looking for something a bit different, and it's a must for any Connery fan. Don't wait ten years to see it simply because some critics didn't think it was a masterpiece. Screw the critics!

Adventures, drama and romance excellently performed by Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 5 March 2008]

This ecological drama deals about Dr Robert Campbell(Sean Connery), he's a biochemist working in the Amazon rain forest on a cancer cure. There arrives a scientific, Dr Crane(Lorraine Bracco), a researcher sent by the laboratory sponsoring. Campbell has found a cure but he has been unable to duplicate it . Then they seek desperately the missed flower about being eradicated by civilization. Meanwhile, a Bulldozers sweeping the jungle and time is running out.

The movie contains ecological adventure, an enjoyable relationship and breathtaking outdoors. In spite of Dr Campbell is grumpy and Dr Crane is obstinate, arise an agreeable chemical between them. The film is quite entertaining with some moments a little boring, but that doesn't detract for your amusement of a well-developed tale where drama, love and adventures mingle splendidly. Colorful cinematography reflecting marvellously the Amazon rain forest by Donald McAlpine. Sensible,sensitive musical score by the great Jerry Goldsmith, wonderfully appropriate when the protagonists climbed up to the top of the tallest trees in the Brazilian jungle. The picture is lavishly produced by Andrew G Vagna with his Carolco company and by Sean Connery. The motion picture is well directed by John McTiernan. He's an action expert director with hits, such as ¨Predator, Die Hard and sequels¨, and some flop, such as ¨Nomads and Thomas Crown¨. Rating : Acceptable and passable, the film will like to Sean Connery fans and ecology buffs.

misunderstood formulaic rom-com

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 13 May 2015]

Eccentric scientist Dr. Robert Campbell (Sean Connery) asks for an assistant and a gas chromatograph after 3 years of silence in the Amazon jungle. The drug company sends Dr. Rae Crane (Lorraine Bracco) who is out of her elements. She finds Campbell completely immersed with the natives. She's actually there to judge his progress and whether or not to cut off funding. He believes that he has found a cure for cancer. Only he can't reproduce it and the bulldozers are coming.

I think people missed the fact that this is very much a formulaic rom-com. The serious matter of cancer cure and Amazon destruction masks that fact from almost everybody. The formula is simple. They hate each other and then they fall in love. I actually find Lorraine Bracco hilariously adorable but I guess most people found her annoying. Not everybody likes a woman who talks back. Jerry Goldsmith's music is memorable as always. This is a fun rom-com if one lets it be. And climbing among the trees is visually stunning.

Medicine Man

[presley-4 · 21 November 2002]

The "Medicine Man" is set in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest which has become home to the eccentric Dr. Robert Campbell (Sean Connery), a biochemist doing field research. In befriending the natives and studying the `Tribal Witch Doctor' (Angelo Barra Moreira), he has accidentally discovered the cure for cancer from a flower extract that grows wild in the rainforest. He is assisted by Dr. Rae Crane (Lorraine Bracco) in trying unsuccessfully to duplicate the formula, before the commercial loggers come in and destroy his hope for a cure. Dr. Crane comes to the jungle with the motive of pulling the research grant for the project, as Dr. Campbell has been uncooperative with the bureaucracy. Coming to the jungle with guilt and regret from a prior research trip, `Morcara,' his work becomes his life, escaping reality and trying to compensate for the devastation he experienced. It was interesting to see how the natives accepted him, brought him into their `circle.' They accepted his medical knowledge and entwined it with their superstitions and natural remedies. He became so protective of the tribe, respecting their way of life, and customs that they come to trust him and call him the `Medicine Man.' The movie was released on February 7, 1992 and while the work of Director John McTierman, was different than his other movies "Hunt for Red October" or the "Predator," Sean Connery played out the part well. The sound of his voice is always welcomed. I've seen him in stronger parts, but I cannot see anyone taking his place beside Lorraine Bracco. The knowledge and wisdom of the experienced is passed to the inexperienced. I liked the environmental message that the director sent. The scenery was great from the tree top scenes to the trip through the jungle and the waterfalls. Anytime elements of nature can be used to heal the human body or someone can survive in the jungle by utilizing the natural habitat is a wonderful thing. It shows us everything actually depends on the natural creation of the earth from which it came.

It's another step towards the end of the world.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 24 April 2022]

A scientist goes from materialistic and cynical and rather silly to educated over the plight of Amazon natives in this about two people differing scientific beliefs coming together in their desire to keep the rainforests from being destroyed. But man through greed is more powerful than an ideal especially when they have weapons and tractors an other devices that can tear down the land within hours. Lorraine Bracco who is a scientist who arrives in the Amazon to work with Sean Connery who has been there for years and understands the people and the environment more than she does. He knows that removing these people from their land could cause the end of their pride, and his humanity towards these human beings independent of the ways of modern civilization is quite profound. He tells Bracco of how a disease from the outside world can destroy this civilization, and after showing her the beauty of their way of life, she changed his profound ways even though there's dangers on the way through developers.

An absolutely gorgeous film to look at but not without its imperfections, mostly Bracco whose performance, while sincere, seems to be lacking in believability. The cameraman also has an odd fixation on the back sides of the natives which are only covered by a very thin string. An amusing moment has one of the English-speaking natives teasing Connery in an innocent friendly way that has other natives laughing in agreement, humanizing them a lot more and making them more identifiable as people rather than just uncivilized members of the Jungle tribe. The kids of course are adorable, cute and curious and funny.

There are many wonderful moments in this film that are excellent, but then the mood changes and the flaws become more noticeable. It's very sad at the end when you see what happens to their homes, but there are elements of hope beyond that. Connery is sensational, and the music, along with the gorgeous photography, really brings out the emotion of the story. There's a truly amazing moment when Bracco gets to see the surrounding area from the top of the jungle from the highest tree oh, and that's when her character really begins to transform. She is very funny in a scene where she makes a beverage out of a bark that contains caffeine and becomes high. So much greatness from a film that could have been excellent but missed that opportunity because of a few minor flaws.

An unfairly maligned film

[Reefmonkey · 7/10 · 11 February 2020]

I first saw this on one of my first dates as a 16 year old. Probably picked it because I always liked Sean Connery, and because "Save the Rainforests" was all the rage back then. I thought the movie was fine, but it didn't leave a big impression on me either way. I picked it up again a few years ago mostly out of nostalgia for my youth and the zeitgeist of the early 90s, and my wife also remembered seeing it and liking it when it was first released. Yeah, some of the messaging is a little heavy handed and the story predictable. Yeah, Bracco's performance is kinda annoying, but both Bracco and Connery blamed that on McTiernan's direction of her, which she says went against her instincts. Despite its flaws, the story is fairly engaging and the visuals of the rainforest are stunning.

(Mis)adventures in the remote Brazilian jungle with Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 11 June 2023]

A biochemist from a pharmaceutical company in New York (Bracco) goes deep into the rain forest of the Amazon to locate researcher Robert Campbell (Connery) and determine if his work is still worth funding.

"Medicine Man" (1992) is a jungle drama in the mold of "The Emerald Forest" (1985). There's a little bit of adventure and, unsurprisingly, romance. Right off the bat the relationship between the two is characterized by amusing bickering, which isn't exactly realistic. If you can roll with that, there's a lot to appreciate along with some eye-rolling bits.

As far as the latter goes, if the missing ingredient for the cancer cure is as glaring to the viewer, then I'm pretty sure it would be obvious to Nobel-winning scientists working in the field. Also, the Amazon rain forest is the size of a huge country and lightly populated, is it very likely that the road being built would go directly into where the much-needed ingredient exists, not to mention the tribe?

Still, there are entertaining elements and, sometimes, a palpable sense of wonder. Bracco has her feminine appeal and is amusing as Rae Crane, albeit annoying to some tastes (like Connery's character isn't?).

The movie runs 1 hour, 46 minutes, and was shot in Southern Mexico, the area of Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico (producers learned from money pits such as "The Emerald Forest" that shoots in the actual Amazon Basin just cost too much).

GRADE: B-

One of Those Forgotten Films.....

[underfire35 · 6/10 · 29 March 2003]

Most people dedicate their time reviewing movies that have been deemed "classic" or "great"...what about the rest of them? True, MEDICINE MAN is not "great", but it gets away with being mildly entertaining. The film follows the exploits of Dr. Rae Crane (Lorraine Bracco) as she descends into the rain forests of Brazil. Her job is to assist and evaluate the mysterious Dr. Campbell (Sean Connery) whose backing is close to being pulled. Everything is fairly lighthearted, until Campbell reveals that he has discovered the cure for cancer. The main tension is that he cannot reproduce it - something that the film spends the majority of the running time dealing with. Eventually, there is a crisis, a climax, etc...

The sad thing is that this should have been a better film. Everything is there: John McTiernan, an under-rated director, who is at home with filming the jungle (see PREDATOR). Sean Connery gives one of his more spirited performances here, he seems to be having fun with the role. The rich photography, by Donald McAlpine, makes MEDICINE MAN a wonderful film to look at. The story is decent, using semi-factual accounts as the basis for the narrative. All this plus one of Jerry Goldsmith's best scores of the 90's...the music simply shimmers and sways like a soft wind through the treetops. So...

Why doesn't this film work? One problem is that you simply do not care about any of the characters (excepting Connery). Lorraine Bracco's character is abrasive, but the failure of her role is due more to the writing than the acting. Sean Connery's role is very well developed; the screenwriters seem to have focused more on the haunted and quirky Robert Campbell, and nobody else. Yes, Bracco's character is annoying and grating and irritating and whines too much, etc., but if it were a stronger character we could have forgiven her for these qualities. Also, the narrative arc of the story seems a bit clipped near the end, what with that whole "twenty-four hours" to find the cure for cancer thing. The action during the finale seems forced and is not really reinforced during the film proper. We see smoke off in the distance once or twice, but there is very little urgency in these scenes. Besides Goldsmith's looming and percussive synth patterns, I would not have known there was a threat at all.

Anyway, MEDICINE MAN just does not come together in a satisfying way. It is however an entertaining film and a must see for Connery fanatics. It is one of those films that open, makes a little money, then is forgotten. These are the films I'm interested in and will continue to review. 6/10

John McTiernan tries to get serious, with a romantic comedy

[davidmvining · 3/10 · 25 May 2020]

John McTiernan had just completed The Hunt for Red October, which gained plenty of accolades and quickly embraced as one of the finest submarine movies ever made. He seems to have been eager to move beyond simple action filmmaking and become serious, a trap many genre filmmakers fall into. So, he picked up a heavily sought after script filled with topical things, brought Sean Connery back (who obviously really wanted to do the film since he has an executive producer credit), and even got Lorraine Bracco fresh off of her best supporting actress nominated turn in Goodfellas. So, how did this potent mix of potential and talent come together? Not well, to be honest.

I've seen Medicine Man described as a romantic comedy, and, if it is that, it spends a lot of time doing other things. It's also a medical mystery and a message movie about the rainforest at the same time. Now, can a movie grab hold of elements from several different genres and make them work together? Of course, it's very possible and many very good films have done so. They've done it by actually making the individual parts good while interweaving the disparate elements well, none of which Medicine Man actually does.

Connery's Dr. Robert Campbell has been working for a pharmaceutical company doing research deep in the Amazon rainforest for six years and popped up to ask for resources and a research assistant. In walks Bracco's Dr. Rae Crane to act as his research assistant and to also gauge the company's interest in any further investment in Dr. Campbell's work. Well, Campbell has discovered a cure for cancer, but he can't replicate it. And therein lies the two major narrative thrusts of the film. The first is the meet cute of Dr. Campbell and Dr. Crane who loath each other at the beginning and, of course, grow to love each other by the end. The second is the search for the missing peak (Peak 37) in the chromatograph's readout by distilling a flower hidden in the forest's canopy and making a compound from it.

The first story is predictable and kind of weird considering the rather extreme age difference between Connery and Bracco, but I won't hold that against the movie. It helps that the relationship that develops isn't driven by sex but by their professional attachment. Their bickering gets a little out of hand and is never quite as endearing as the writer seems to think it is. The medical mystery story is far more engaging until it telegraphs the solution a couple of times and things then get tiresome as we wait for the very smart characters to catch up with the dummy audience. And then the "save the rainforest" story is introduced very early, forgotten for most of the film, and re-introduced very late in the film, injecting a bunch of physical danger that feels out of nowhere.

Structurally, the movie's an odd duck as well. The source of that really seems to be Dr. Campbell's backstory. He has a dark secret that he's trying to hide from and deal with at the same time, and it gets teased out really when he takes Dr. Crane to see the village's medicine man who went away after Dr. Campbell cured someone of a belch using Alka-Seltzer. He's looking for an answer that we're already going to get the answer to (the juju in the sky flowers), but it takes an entire side trip as the pair wait for some new samples to mature three days.

There's just so much going on the film and so little of it ends up working very well. Even the medical mystery stuff just ends up falling apart. It has so many markings of a director trying to become serious, of John McTiernan trying to make his The Color Purple or Empire of the Sun, but he chose the wrong script to do it. The failure is rather complete here, and it's a bit depressing.

Not since James Bond have I enjoyed Sean Connery so much

[honesty · 7/10 · 20 December 1998]

I've just got to put a Bondism in here...Nobody does it better. there it's done and it didn't hurt that much now did it? Sean is as I expected, excellent. The look, the voice and the attitude. So much like Bond it is like deja-vu. Why do we like Connery so much...I'll tell you why...he's got a ton of talent....and he's got an attitude of confidence and he knows how to use it. This film just hums along with some really fantastic photography and despite the luke-warm reviews I believe time will tell a different story. If you like your adventures in the jungle (and I do) then you'll enjoy this film.

Bracco Single-Handedly Ruins This Movie

[ccthemovieman-1 · 3/10 · 10 April 2007]

I had high hopes for this film, listening to the hype made about it prior to release. I looked forward to seeing it. Sean Connery uses makes good movies, so I was upbeat going into this.

THE GOOD - Nice jungle scenery, decent surround sound. Connery was his normal entertaining self in the lead, this time as "Dr. Robert Campbell."

THE BAD - Lorraine Bracco as "Dr. Crane" was a pain, to say the least. What reasonable, sane male could put up with this woman?! Talk about a mouth, both in words and tone, that is abrasive! Wow! She single-handedly ruined this movie. Who could take listening to her for the full -- minutes of this film? Not me. What a horrible woman.

McTiernan excellently weaves science, ethics and humor in this story about the search for a cancer cure in the jungle

[rmiranda-1 · 10/10 · 19 December 2003]

A fine movie, not to be judged on the basis of Hollywood's usual recipe for storytelling. The eccentric scientist Robert Campbell (Connery) who has found a cure for cancer out in the jungle, is not able to reproduce its exact composition. Biologist Rae Crane (Bracco) biologist has dropped in from academia to be his judge and jury and decide on Campbell's continued funding.

The film pays a fair amount of attention to scientific detail (such as "running baselines" and using "experimental controls") interspersing it throughout with lively and shrewd exchanges between Campbell and Crane. To that they add mildly sarcastic observations on field work and fund-raising committees. Whilst this scientific sub-story line runs along, we are shown glimpses of life in a sympathetic tribe for which Campbell has become a sort of sugar daddy. Ethics and personal choice confront both scientists as they struggle with the decision to reserve the last bit of serum either for the good of humanity or the life of one of the tribe's children.

McTiernan has weaved all these elements excellently and Connery and Bracco play their roles so convincingly that you could be excused for thinking they may have scientific backgrounds in real life.

The film is a feast for educated people - which is probably the reason why many of the critics have missed the fine points and proceeded to rattle off some vitriolic commentary more aimed, in my view, at self-aggrandizement than constructive film criticism. One even complained that Medicine Man didn't quite match up to Die Hard. Now there is a proper comparison for you.

Not Hard To See What Attracted Connery To The Movie, But It Misses The Mark

[slightlymad22 · 6/10 · 3 June 2017]

Continuing my plan to watch every Sean Connery movie in order, I come to Medicine Man (1992)

I had to buy this one to complete his filmography, but never took its out of its wrapping, since I was bored stiff watching it in a cinema in 1992.

It is not difficult to see what might have attracted Connery to this movie in the first place. The theme is both the environment and health. What is not so clear is why he, in his role of actor and executive producer, accepted the script with its awful dialogue and clichéd situations.

This is a tough one to say good things about, Connery, again with his ponytailed wig, remains as watchable as always, but this really is not two of his better hours.

Medicine Man finish the year as the 35th highest grossing movie of 1992. Grossing $45 million at the domestic box office.

just okay,...

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 13 July 2006]

This is an odd film as far as the subject matter goes, so that is most of the reason I score the film as highly as I did. As for the rest of the story, it's all filled with clichés and the relationship that develops between Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco is hardly convincing and just seems formulaic. Instead of making a serious film about finding chemical compounds in the Amazonian jungle to cure diseases, the film spends too much time on this romance and the film can't seem to decide what type of film it wants to be. And, when Connery does discover something truly amazing and world-changing, what happens next seemed all too predictable. I recommend this movie mostly to die-hard Connery fans--all others will most likely find this movie worth skipping.

Good film, pay attention

[Poe-17 · 10 January 2004]

Killer, non-blockbuster (they can't all be, and shouldn't all be, box office smashes - there has to be room for really good small films) movie. Apparently a lot of watchers of this film spent a lot of viewing time yawning or chatting because most of their complaints are addressed in the course of the film.

This isn't a high concept story. It doesn't need explosions and chest beating, flash and deafening sounds to keep your attention.

Good movie.

Timely.

Scary if you think about it. Horrifying if you keep up with rare botanicals and disease.

Absolutely last note as to the film's worthiness ... Sean Connery.

Rumble in the jungle

[helpless_dancer · 7/10 · 9 September 2000]

Average film about a doctor in Brazil searching for a cancer cure while being watched over by his boss and worrying about the local natives and the survival of their habitat. This is another of those "statement" films which indeed has a message....for all the good it does. Man is going to continue raping the land for money as surely as he will continue to wage war for the same. I found the scene with Lorraine Bracco getting high on the local caffeine elixir, and then down with the favorite homebrew to be very funny.

Very.. Interesting

[AmberB-00713023 · 6/10 · 1 September 2020]

Overall, the acting in the movie was not too bad. The acting was a bit interesting as it is an older movie and acting now vs then is slightly different I believe. The flow of the movie was pretty good and easy to follow and understand and the storyline was not too difficult to understand. Only part that I was really confused about was why was Dr. Campbell there to begin with, why did he leave and drop contact with everyone until he needed something. The ending was very interesting to me because Dr. Crane decided to write to her significant other that she was calling off their wedding and staying with Dr. Campbell. The movie was a very interesting one and I would likely watch it again sometime in the future.

It still plays well

[LadyCatherine · 7/10 · 15 August 2002]

Ten years down the pike:

Yes, Dr. Crane is still so irritating I want to ground her for a month and take away her phone privileges.

Yes, the movie generated some great family jokes. ("You wanted to pick his brains." "Not off the sidewalk!" was but one.)

Yes, the rainforest is still breathtaking. (At least there's some of it on film. :-/ )

Yes, Dr. Campbell is still every bureaucrat's worst migraine.

And, yes, just the opening bars alone of one of Jerry Goldsmith's greatest soundtracks makes me want to grab a pair of skates and hit the ice. If I ever *do learn to skate more than a wobbly line forward or back, it will be for the sheer joy of skating to the "Medicine Man" soundtrack.

And for those who watched the videotape version and screeched over the mangling of the opening credits...check out the widescreen DVD version. The opening credits were perfectly balanced--action on one side, credit on the other. Video release--full screen--demanded that it be done pan-and-scan, swooping left, right, left, right...pass the Dramamine. The DVD price is worth it for the widescreen aspect alone. From the credits to the end of the film, I can't recall any other movie so panned and scanned.

More romance, less adventure.

[nchrisco · 7/10 · 1 September 2020]

"Medicine Man" is a good movie if you're looking for a rainforest romance. This ends up being more of a relationship movie than an action/adventure, and there's nothing wrong with that but the movie could have been exceptionally better with some more action and adventure in the plot. Adding those elements to the storyline could have improved the conflict over finding the cure for cancer, which is the main point of the movie. There were a few holes in the movie when it showed Dr. Campbell and Dr. Crane using technology and lights in the middle of a rainforest, and the serum they were using to cure the cancer would heal the patient overnight, but other than that the flow of the movie was pretty smooth. Overall, the acting from Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco turn this into a solid movie. - Nick C.

It was decent

[tchaplin-12234 · 3/10 · 1 September 2020]

This movie is okay and I would recommend it to someone that would rather just want to kill some time or need something to just play in the background while they're working on an assignment or something other than that. Otherwise, if you want to take the time to watch it, go ahead. The acting was actually good considering that its lead role was Sean Connery so it was expected to have good acting. The flow of the movie was slightly muddled consider that it had some inconsistencies such as Dr.Crane's relationship, which was not once at all explained until she explained that she was engaged and having a wedding in the winter. The other inconsistency was Dr. Campbell's reason for staying there on the island for so long. The believability of the movie was a semi, meaning that there are things that they could have changed to help out the story such as the disease they decided to use and how they found the cure.

Good but I don't know

[smokeylion-90464 · 7/10 · 1 September 2020]

The movie, to me, was good. I enjoyed it but there were some parts that were boring, misplaced or unneeded. The acting was relatively good. The movie plot was good but I why did the producer choose cancer. Why not anything else to convince the Audience that he found a cure; it would have been more realistic. And is the hat magic or something cause it should have been burnt in the fire towards the end and how did the fire movie that quickly. Is the movie just wanting to make some parts unbelievable; why was the kid miraculously healed overnight, it just makes me upset. I feel like we needed more info on John, like why did she just dump him and decide so quickly that she wanted the doctor. But honestly even tho there were some part that really were over the top, the movie was actually good.

Liked the story EXCEPT for annoying FEMALE LEAD

[spacechick-75-91100 · 3/10 · 31 August 2021]

Female lead voice and aging were so bad, ruined the entire movie for me. Kept wishing she'd get bit by a snake or eaten by an alligator or both.

Superb Score, Superb Movie

[Bob-45 · 10/10 · 29 August 2004]

I've never understood why this movie is so poorly received. Sure, Lorraine Bracco is a bit shrill. No one said she came from a "high class" family, just that she was marrying well. My sister-in-law is a scientist with NIH and she came from humble roots. That Bracco got through to the tribe's medicine man when Connery had failed was the contrast between the two approaches the "white man" could make toward the natives. Bracco's negotiating skills and stubborn common sense contrasted nicely with Connery's unintentionally patronizing approach. Who COULD have been cast who would have been more convincing as the "civilized" woman "going native". Lauren Hutton, maybe. The solution to the mystery of "compound 37" was a genuine surprise, even though it was partially revealed on two separate occasions. The climax was intensely dramatic, ironic and sad; though, it too helped usher in the satisfying conclusion. Jerry Goldsmith's superb score raises what is already an outstanding movie. I don't care about anyone else's opinion. For me, "Medicine Man" is a "10".

Cute film about a serious subject.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 28 July 2007]

Okay, there's this weird scientist, Sean Connery, who's hidden himself away in the tropical rainforest of South America and has been incommunicado for years. A "foundation" sends down a youngish, award-winning scientist, played by Lorraine Bracco, to monitor his behavior, find out what's up, and decide whether or not to cut off his funding. Lots of barbed exchanges here between the old curmudgeon and the independent new woman. Some comedy too as he slips her a psychedelic that cures headaches. As it develops, Connery, with Bracco's help, finds the source of a cure for lymphoma in the top terrace of the rainforest. Alas, before he can harvest enough of the stuff to explore the possibility of its being synthesized, some big industrial operation plows a road through the forest and destroys the trees in which the stuff grows. Bittersweet ending. Humankind is hoist by its own petard by what some ecologists call a "progress trap." As compensation the old fox and the young feminist become friends. It's a bad trade.

Between 1960 and 1990 one fifth of the world's rainforest was lost. In Brazil, where this film is supposedly set, the Amazon rainforest between 1991 (when the film was shot) and the year 2000 has lost between 415 and 587 square kilometers, an area about twice the size of Portugal. The tragedy is not that the forest is gone. Who cares about wood? It's the consequences, many of them falling into the category of "unknown unknowns" that counts. WOULD a biochemist of Sean Connery's persistence and quirkiness have found a way of combating lymphoma (or anything else)? We're not going to find out now. Among the "known known" consequences, the deforestation has eliminated entire species of plants and animals at an alarming rate, including one primate. (Humans are primates too.) The little message behind the story is, of course, fashionable and politically correct, which for some people makes it wrong.

Lorraine Bracco, with her bulky figure and oddly handsome features, seems a likable woman. You can tell because in all of her performances she seems to be playing herself. She can be loud and stubborn but one never senses genuine contempt behind her shouting. I wouldn't mind having an argument with her. It might be amusing. Sean Connery plays a role that must by now be familiar to him, almost shopworn, and he does his schtick well. There appears to be a lot of half-naked Guaranis running around, acting as translators and comic relief, but this is really a two-person picture.

At one point Bracco is tripping on this native stuff and having a hell of a good time. She babbles on about marketing it for adults, putting sugar in it, and calling it by some pronounceable name. I wish that she'd have accomplished that because unless we recognize a progress trap when we see one coming, we may need that psychedelic elixir.

so close...

[GOTHdiamondCRAN · 3/10 · 26 July 2005]

This movie could have been decently entertaining, but this possibility was eliminated once Lorraine Bracco was cast. The plot, setting, and Sean Connery was a good start for a likable commercial picture, so it's a shame that all of that went to waste. Seriously, Bracco's performance here is probably the worst acting I have seen in my whole life... well as far as unintentionally bad that is. The only contender for worse acting is from Selma Hayek in Dogma so if somehow you think THAT was a decent performance maybe this won't disappoint. If she had not been cast this would be another blah Sean Connery, but instead it is a massive (possibly the greatest) embarrassment for the man who was once James Bond and has appeared in such masterpieces as Time Bandits.