Pat Travis (Troy Evans) is a military veteran with hopeful expectations as he seeks a triple bypass at a VA hospital. Instead, he finds a chaotic labyrinth of bureaucratic obstacles. Luther Jermoe (Keith David) is a wheelchair-bound veteran experienced in the dysfunction. He tells Pat that there is always Article 99. It's Dr. Peter Morgan (Kiefer Sutherland)'s first day. Dr. Rudy Bobrick (John C. McGinley) takes him under his wing, skirting the bureaucracy to get things done. Dr. Richard Sturgess (Ray Liotta) and Dr. Sid Handleman (Forest Whitaker) are fellow surgeons doing unapproved operations. Director Dr. Henry Dreyfoos (John Mahoney) and Chief of Medicine Dr. Leo Krutz (Jeffrey Tambor) work to maintaining the declining budget by weeding out the patients. Dr. Robin Van Dorn (Lea Thompson) sees Morgan as dilettante aiming for a high priced practice. Psychotherapist Dr. Diana Walton (Kathy Baker) clashes with Sturgess over his methods. Sam Abrams (Eli Wallach) is a gomer.
Director Howard Deutch tried to portray the chaos of the VA. He certainly threw everything including the kitchen sink into this movie and it feels overloaded. There are great actors but again, there are too many and it feels overloaded. There seems to be a great movie here somewhere but the chaos does overwhelm it. It needs gritty realism but it feels a little too sitcomy.
Director Howard Deutch tried to portray the chaos of the VA. He certainly threw everything including the kitchen sink into this movie and it feels overloaded. There are great actors but again, there are too many and it feels overloaded. There seems to be a great movie here somewhere but the chaos does overwhelm it. It needs gritty realism but it feels a little too sitcomy.