GIFTED HANDS - 2009 (TV)
RATED - NR but probably PG for mature themes, minor violence and intense surgery scenes. Very family friendly.
RATINGS - 27 Amazon (4.5/5), 12,094 Netflix (4.3/5), 452 IMDB (7.3/10).
STARRING - Cuba Gooding, Jr. as Dr. Ben Carson
THEMES - Justice, relationships, spirituality.
AWARDS - 4 prime time Emmy nominations.
STORY - This is the life story of Dr. Ben Carson, chief of pediatric surgery at Johns Hopkins University and considered the world's best pediatric surgeon. The story begins with Dr. Carson being asked to consider operating on the two sons of a German couple who are joined at the abdomen and skull. No one has ever performed this surgery successfully with both children surviving. The film then flashes back to the childhood of Dr. Carson. He was raised by an illiterate but very loving and determined single mother who married at the age of 13 and was divorced soon after when she discovered her 'husband' was married at the same time to another woman with another family. She was determined that her two sons would not turn out the same way she did. It is an amazing story of this mother and her love and determination. Ben, not realizing he needed glasses, consistently performed way below the other students in class until his mother used all their savings to get him a pair. That, along with her firm hand in making the two boys read two books a week from the library (along with written reports) as well as limiting TV watching to two programs a week turned Ben into the 'student of the year' in 8th grade. Even that, however, was tainted, as a teacher at the award ceremony berated the other students for letting a 'boy of color' with serious disadvantages and a single mother outperform them. The story continues with his achievements and struggles through high school and his scholarship years at Yale and on to his residency at Johns Hopkins. The story then takes us back to the conclusion of the decision whether or not to operate on the German twins. It is an incredible story of someone who not had the 'gifted hands' needed to be a great surgeon but also the determination, humility and faith to make a life of great service to his fellow humans against great odds. The acting is outstanding. I would encourage everyone and every family to make this a 'must watch'. I would also highly recommend SOMETHING THE LORD MADE, another story about a great African-American surgeon, Dr. Vivian Thomas, who was born 30 years too early to be able to have the same opportunities as Dr. Carson, but nevertheless made a great contribution to medicine that is still being used today. Enjoy!! Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 11/15/2009.
P.S. As I was watching GIFTED HANDS and THE RON CLARK STORY and reflecting, also, on SOMETHING THE LORD MADE, I was impressed by how these men (in these particular cases), who were/are extraordinarily gifted, used their gifts to benefit others as opposed to the kind of greed and ego we see so often today, especially on Wall Street, where some (not all) have so abused their positions and ruined the lives of millions of others and almost took down the entire U.S. economy. It also reminded me that those of us who have lesser gifts still have those same options - whether to use them for the benefit of others or simply to profit from them. How will we be judged for what we have done with our giftedness??
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