What are some good films with characters facing/dealing with medical, health or disability issues as the main storyline? Which conditions & who played the main role(s)?
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ANSWERS: 14
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Forest Gump - Tom Hanks My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. -
Rain man, Dustin Hoffman played the role of an autistic man so well it was hard to believe it was acting.
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One of the most memorable films I've ever seen on this topic is The Doctor starring William Hurt as an SOB physician who changes his tune when he's diagnosed with cancer and has to experience the field of medicine from the other side of the fence. Brilliant picture.
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Some that come ot mind are: "My Left Foot" Main character Christy Brown, played by Daniel Day-Lewis has cerebral palsy. "The Diving bell and the Butterfly" Main character suffers a severe stroke that leaves him paralyzed. The film is interesting in the sense that we watch most of the story through the point of view of this static but aware character and see how people around him treat him, help him and react to his condition. "Rainman" Dustin Hoffman gives a masterful performance as an autistic man with amazing powers with numbers and retentiveness of data. "Million Dollar Baby" Hillary Swank plays an up-and-coming and dedicated female boxer from very humble beginnings, trained and managed by Clint Eastwood. If you haven't seen it, I'm not giving away what awful adversity she goes through.
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Once again I have to say, "BEACHES" with Bette Midler
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another one is "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE"
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Philadelphia with Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. Hanks plays a man dying of AIDS.
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"A Beautiful Mind" (2001) * Russell Crowe as John Nash (schizophrenia) "Memento" (2000) * Guy Pierce as Leonard (anterograde amnesia) "Sweet November" (2001) * Charlize Theron as Sara Deever (it wasn't explained in the movie)
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I loved "Brian's Song", James Caan as Brian Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers of the Chicago Bears. A twofer in your category; Pic takes Sayers through recovery after tearing up his knee, then his battle with cancer. Just hearing the first few notes of the theme still chokes me up. They remade it as a T.V. movie, supposedly using the same script, but I've never seen it; the original is too good to mess with.
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"The Bucket List" Stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Excellent film. Saw it just last week. The condition was cancer.
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Rainman- dustin hoffman- Autism Steel magnolias- Julia roberts - diabetes Dying Young- Campbell Scott- leukemia Sweet November- Charlize Theron- leukemia autumn in new york- Winona Ryder- heart disease Million Doller Baby- Hilary Swank- Paralyzed Step Mom- Susan Sarandon- leukemia Philadelphia Tom Hanks - HIV I'll try to update as and when I remember... Painted Veil- Edward Norton- cholera(1 of my all time fav movie) Memento - Guy Pearce- memory loss
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Someone asked a similar question on Yahoo. Here are the replies: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081014023514AAo1xPk
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Jack Nicholson - "As Good As It Gets" (Excessive Compulsive Disorder)
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Watching the new MLB channel reminded me of another--Gary Cooper as Lou Gherig in "The Pride of the Yankees"--it's a great classic on so many levels, though it really only touched on the ALS that eventually took his life.
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