March 30 is National Doctors’ Day, but these days, doctors, nurses, other health practitioners and staff don’t need their own 24-hour celebration. They deserve their own year. These supermen and superwomen are confronting the challenge of their lives (and ours) during these worldwide, dystopian months.
Well, here’s some movie-medicine to take your mind off COVID-19 for 104 minutes. “Doc Hollywood” (1991) is a light, romantic comedy, where a bout of bad luck might turn into a packet full of grins and a bucket of horseshoes.
Dr. Ben Stone (Michael J. Fox) kicked his residency-shoes to the curb. You see, he’s traveling from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles to work at a lucrative plastic surgeon practice. His head is in the clouds, when some very unforeseen circumstances has him stuck in Grady, South Carolina. Quite the opposite from LA in every way, but a keen and kindhearted ambulance driver Lou (Julie Warner) might just ground the aloof doctor down south.
“Doc Hollywood” is Fox’s last big movie, after he found a string of successes with the “Casualties of War” (1989), “Bright Lights, Big City” (1988) and “Back to the Future” series (1985 – 1990). Yes, back in the 80’s, with “Family Ties” (1982 – 1989) and the aforementioned films, he was one of the U.S.’s most likable and bankable actors. No question.
Take this to the bank: “Doc Hollywood” may not change your life, but it’ll gently heal any Coronavirus anxieties for a short while and put a smile on your face.
(Available on Netflix DVD and streaming on iTunes and Amazon Prime)
⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Image credits: Warner Bros.; Trailer credits: Movieclips
