On L List of Movie Reviews
(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)
Lorenzo's Oil (1992)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
5/16
5/16:
Lorenzo's Oil is what movies should be about: to inform, to move, and to inspire.
Also, it contains some of the best acting I've seen from Nick Nolte to date. He's beyond brilliant. Most viewers don't realize
he was mimicking Augusto Ordone's mannerisms and speaking style right down to the eyeglasses hanging by his ear.
Basically, Lorenzo's Oil is about Ordone's son who was diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and his parents' quest
of a miracle cure for the deadly genetic disease because they refused to stand still and watch him die.
Despite having no medical background, they, after months of study, found a "cure" which is called Lorenzo's Oil, but it's
only effective before the onset of ALD happens. Regardless, the son ended up living two decades longer than predicted. As a result,
his father was awarded an honorary medical degree.
Susan Sarandon's performance isn't bad. Her character is interesting because she blurs the fine line between motherly
love and obsession. It's been confusing for me to judge her actions whether they were appropriate or not.
All in all, Lorenzo's Oil is an unexpected surprise from George Miller, the director of
Mad Max pictures, which features the best acting of Nick Nolte's career.