Something the Lord Made

Starring: Alan Rickman, Mos Def, Kyra Sedgwick, Gabrielle Union, Charles S. Dutton, Mary Stuart Masterson,
Directed by: Joseph Sargent
Rating: Unrated
Genre: Television, Drama
2004

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Dr. Blalock (Alan Rickman) hires Vivian Thomas (Mos Def) to work as a janitor. Vivian shows above-average intelligence, and soon begins working alongside the doctor on achieving breakthroughs in medicine. While their advancements in medicine quickly become legendary, Vivian begins to resent the fact that despite all his hard work, he gets none of the credit.

Review:

Tim: I try to keep the TV movies to a minimum on my site, generally because they're just not very good. However, HBO definitely makes some quality films, and this is one of them. Something the Lord Made is so amazing because it is based on a true story- one that few would know otherwise. It was nominated for 2 Golden Globes, and won high critical praise. The film is enjoyable for a number of reasons, but mostly for its cast.

The movie works because we quickly buy into the relationship between the film's two main characters. Alan Rickman is quite good as Dr. Blalock. He is such an accomplished actor, and gives yet another good performance here. Surprisingly, he has a great deal of chemistry with Mos Def. Def has impressed me a great deal with a number of his roles, and he is likewise impressive here. He gives such a good performance that we are immediately drawn to his character, sympathizing with his plight, and rooting for him to succeed. The film's best moments involve the interaction between Rickman and Def.

This film is enjoyable because it tells a fascinating story about a medical breakthrough, while acting as a good period piece, and manages to have some interesting racial commentary as well. If that wasn't enough, this film is also an interesting look at a unique and lasting friendship between two men. This movie has a bit of everything. Unfortunately, although a good one, this is still a made-for-television movie, and that shows at a few moments in the film.

Still, Something the Lord Made represents another successful movie created by HBO, and is well worth watching. The cast is great, the story is memorable and fascinating, and the film is quite enjoyable. I recommend it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



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