Directed by:
Barbet SchroederScreenplay:
David KlassCinematography:
Luciano TovoliComposer:
Trevor JonesCast:
Michael Keaton, Andy Garcia, Brian Cox, Marcia Gay Harden, Erik King, Joseph Cross, Janel Moloney, Richard Riehle, Tracey Walter, Jack Gill, Scott Waugh (more)Plots(1)
Widowed police officer Frank Conner (Andy Garcia) has a cancer-stricken nine-year-old son, Matthew (Joseph Cross), whose only hope for survival is a bone-marrow transplant, but the only matching donor is Pete McCabe (Michael Keaton), a vicious, psychotic killer being held in a maximum-security prison. McCabe at first denies Conner's request for help but then agrees, devising an elaborate plan to use the medical procedure as an opportunity to escape. McCabe breaks loose before the transfusion can occur, and Conner is forced to become both his tracker and his ally, wanting to bring the serial killer back into custody but determined--for the sake of his son--to keep McCabe alive. Keaton is chilling as the vicious, brilliant convict, while Garcia turns in a heartfelt performance as a devoted father caught in the middle of a bad situation getting worse. With DESPERATE MEASURES, director Barbet Schroeder (REVERSAL OF FORTUNE), renowned for his knack of combining urgent family drama with white-knuckle suspense, adds another crowd-pleasing, thought-provoking film to his list of successes. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (1)
A thrilling and brilliantly directed thriller with a fantastic concept: two men on opposite sides of the law, in the middle of a claustrophobic hospital, where many lives are at stake. Excellent screenplay, dialogue, action, and sound. Andy Garcia plays a caring father with phenomenal expertise, and Michael Keaton as the main antagonist also doesn't disappoint. The direction is surprisingly skillful, and the music is impressive.
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