Cast: Nick Nolte, Susan Sarandon, Peter Ustinov, Zack O'Malley Greenburg
Director: George Miller
Producer: Doug Mitchell and George Miller
Screenplay: George Miller and Nick Enright
Cinematography: John Seale
Music: Supervised by Christine Woodruff
U.S. Distributor: Universal Pictures
Lorenzo's Oil is based on the true story of Augusto Odone (Nick Nolte) and his wife, Michaela (Susan Sarandon), as they fight to save the life and sanity of their son, Lorenzo (Zack O'Malley Greenburg). Lorenzo, diagnosed in early 1984 as a victim of ALD, an incurable degeneration of the brain, is beyond the help of conventional medicine. His parents, unwilling to give up the struggle even after participating in several failed therapies, begin their own investigation of the disease. Lorenzo's Oil follows the triumphs and tragedies of this search.
The film is unique in that it avoids the obvious trap of becoming a melodramatic, tear-jerking soap opera. Instead of focusing primarily on a family being torn apart by guilt and pain, Lorenzo's Oil follows Augusto and Michaela's attempts to understand their son's disease and discover a method of treatment. This search is fascinating -- a unique odyssey of discovery. Even though it delves into medical terminology that few laymen will grasp, simple metaphors, such as those of a kitchen sink and a chain of paper clips, are used to clearly and concisely explain the causes and effects of ALD. Comprehension is necessary to the success of the film, and Lorenzo's Oil easily overcomes what might seem a troublesome barrier.
Lorenzo's Oil is at its weakest when it steers away from the investigation to present "character moments". Most of these scenes are of the hit-and-miss variety. The only example of overacting in the film comes in one of these instances, when Nolte's Augusto slides down a flight of stairs, howling in agony. His pain is telegraphed with all the subtlety of a jackhammer.
The characters of Augusto and Michaela are developed successfully through the search scenes. Lorenzo is less of a person than a plot element (we know little more about him except that he is a good-natured boy who has come down with a rare, debilitating disease), and most of the other men and women populating the film are as well-rounded as the story demands. The actors are competent in their roles. Sarandon and Nolte have both given more emotive, effective performances in the past, and Nolte's ridiculous Italian accent is hard to get used to (perhaps a little cinematic license should have been used to eliminate it). Only Zack O'Malley Greenburg stands out. For an adult, acting of this caliber would be noteworthy; for a child, it is astounding.
Much of Lorenzo's Oil is based on true events, but there are at least a few moments when Hollywood intrudes, creating occasional leaps of exultation that are contrived (such as what happens when the results of Lorenzo's Oil are revealed to a group of ALD parents). Fortunately, the director/writer team of George Miller and Nick Enright have curbed excesses in this area. In the final analysis, when Lorenzo's Oil is stripped to the bare story, it's about the war for knowledge and the victory of hope through perseverance. And, for more than two hours, audience members are brought along to witness each battle.
© 1993 James Berardinelli