Playing God (1997)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Andy Wilson

Writer (WGA):

Mark Haskell Smith (written by)

Release Date:

17 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

Joining this deadly underworld was easy. But getting out...deadly!

Plot:

Stripped of his medical license after performing an operation while high on amphetamines, famed LA surgeon...

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Surgeon | Drug Addiction | Drugs | Gay Slur

Cast

David Duchovny	...	Dr. Eugene Sands
Timothy Hutton	...	Raymond Blossom
Angelina Jolie	...	Claire
Michael Massee	...	Gage
Peter Stormare	...	Vladimir
Andrew Tiernan	...	Cyril
Gary Dourdan	...	Yates
John Hawkes	...	Flick
Will Stewart	...	Perry
Philip Moon	...	Casey
Pavel Lychnikoff	...	Andrei (as Pavel D. Lynchnikoff)
Tracey Walter	...	Jim
Sandra Kinder	...	Sue
Bill Rosier	...	Jerry
Keone Young	...	Mr. Ksi

Also Known As:

Playing Hero

MPAA:

Rated R for strong graphic violence, gore, pervasive language and some drug use.

Runtime:

94 min | Netherlands:91 min | Philippines:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:R-18 | Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | France:U | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | Singapore:PG | UK:18 | USA:R | Australia:MA | Poland:18

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Beacon Communications

Trivia:

David Duchovny plays a doctor asked by a criminal to help his friend. Duchovny says "He's dead." Pointing a gun at Duchovny, the criminal says, "Well, fix him!" Duchovny responds, "I'll see what I can do." Twenty years earlier, in A Bridge Too Far (1977), James Caan plays a soldier who takes a wounded comrade to a field doctor. After the doctor tells him his friend is dead, Caan points a gun at the doctor and insists that he look at his friend. The doctor replies, "I can give him a quick examination if you like."

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Photographs are being taken at a Lakers game with a digital camera, but we hear the sound of a motor drive.

Quotes:

Eugene: Sometimes we all wonder how things come to be. A chain of events: A leads to B leads to C leads to Z. Each life is made up of big decisions and each day is made up of a million little decisions. What shirt to wear, what street to walk on, what to eat for lunch...

Soundtrack:

Redrum

Surprisingly good

I didn't expect much from this movie, as I must admit I only watched it to see David Duchovny. I was pleased to find that David was not the only member of the cast to turn in an interesting and entertaining performance. Timothy Hutton was very convincing as the "bad guy" with a real weakness for his beautiful girl friend, played by Angelina Jolie. Angelina is both a beautiful and talented actress. I have seen her in several movies since this one and enjoyed her in all of them. I thought she gave an especially moving performance in Gia. I enjoyed watching Playing God as the story moved along at a good pace, there was plenty of action and I especially enjoyed David's narrative which lent some humor at just the right times to what could have been just another bloody movie. I would recommend this film to any David Duchovny fans as he is at this best here, and also to any of you who enjoy Angelina Jolie. I give this movie 8 stars.