Page 25 - Boca ViewPointe - July '23

July 2023 Viewpointe, Page 25
Film Review: The God Committee

By Nils A. Shapiro Such small groups— – and, soon after, that she has been approved to join him on
generally comprised of the “God Committee,” replacing another member.
It is an unfortunate fact hospital administrators, The committee – which also includes the hospital’s
that the number of patients surgeons, representatives Administator Dr. Valerie Gilroy (Janeane Garofalo),
who need human organs of other medical disciplines psychiatrist Dr. Allen Lau (Peter Kim), nurse Wilkes (Patricia
for what is often lifesaving and a religious leader – R. Floyd) and Father Dunbar (Colman Domingo), a former
transplant surgery is far because of the awesome prosecutor turned priest – is soon faced with having to
greater than the number of nature of their responsibility decide which of three patients will receive an available heart
organs available. are often called “God transplant: an elderly woman, an elderly black man who
When such emergencies Committees.” cannot afford the usual mandatory health insurance, or the
arise – and because even This film depicts vividly teenage heroin addict son of a wealthy man, Emmett Granger
the limited number of the decisions faced by such (Dan Hedaya), who has offered to donate $25 million to the
available human organs must be used within very strict a fictionalized committee in hospital with a specific, though suspect, statement that it is
and brief time frames in order to still be viable – the two circumstances seven “not conditional on the committee’s decision.”
critical determinations about which patients from among years apart, in 2007 and 2014. As the minutes tick by, using up precious time of the
the many needing them will receive the transplants In the opening scene, we learn that St. Augustine donated heart’s viability, each of the committee members’
are unhesitating life-and-death decisions now made in Hospital’s pre-eminent heart surgeon, Dr. Austin Boxer motivation and reasoning becomes clear: the administrator’s
hospitals throughout the United States and worldwide (Kelsey Grammar) and another of the hospital’s heart awareness of the hospital’s need for funding; the nurse’s
by special groups selected for this challenging purpose. surgeons, Dr. Jordan Taylor (Julia Stiles) are having an affair compassion for the elderly man’s financial situation; surgeon
Dr. Boxer’s cold, objective reminder to everyone that
“the heart is just a muscle” … and Dr. Taylor’s conflicted
decision after weighing her own feelings against her personal
involvement with Dr. Boxer.
BOCA RATON FINANCIAL PLANNERS years later, much has changed in what we know about
When the scene shifts to another, similar crisis seven
BOCA RATON FINANCIAL PLANNERS
BOCA RATON FINANCIAL PLANNERS the film’s lead characters. Without giving away too many
spoilers here it is enough for you to know that, by now, Dr.
Providing Customized Services for Discerning Clients
Providing Customized Services for Discerning Clients
Providing Customized Services for Discerning Clients Boxer’s cigarette smoking habit has reached the point where
he himself has become a reluctant candidate for a heart
transplant.
For several years he has been in charge of a major
research project at the hospital, one that – by being able
Helping you manage your financial success to use animal hearts instead of humans’ – would solve the
problem of insufficient donors and thus save thousands of
Helping you manage your financial success lives. The project is nearing completion, needing just a little
with expertise, commitment & resources
Helping you manage your financial success
with expertise, commitment & resources more time and funding, but Dr. Boxer is reluctant to accept
to help reach your goals
a heart transplant because at his advanced age and physical
with expertise, commitment & resources
to help reach your goals condition he is not the most appropriate candidate.
Complicating the situation is the fact that important

LIFE WELL PLANNED.
to help reach your goals
LIFE WELL PLANNED. changes have taken place in the personal relationship between
Dr. Boxer and Dr. Taylor that affect them both profoundly –
but those will not be revealed here. Suffice it to say that the
committee makes its decision with all of the above in mind.
LIFE WELL PLANNED. decisions are best left to God. You may not agree with the
For many of us, there are reasons to believe that such
outcomes as determined by man in this 2021 film streaming
now on Netflix, co-written by its director, Austin Stark, and
Mark St. Germain from a play by St. Germain. But I am
confident you will find The God Committee interesting, and
very much worth your time and attention. 

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ARTHUR ROTTENSTEIN
ARTHUR ROTTENSTEIN
Branch Manager
RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
Branch Manager
301 Yamato Road, Suite 3160, Boca Raton, FL 33431
RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
T 561.241.6616 • F 561.241.6418
301 Yamato Road, Suite 3160, Boca Raton, FL 33431
T 561.241.6616 • F 561.241.6418

Boca Raton Financial Planners is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James
www.BocaRatonFinancialPlanner.com
Financial Services, Inc. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FIN-
Boca Raton Financial Planners is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James
RA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.
Financial Services, Inc. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FIN-
RA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.

ARTHUR ROTTENSTEIN

Branch Manager

RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
301 Yamato Road, Suite 3160, Boca Raton, FL 33431

T 561.241.6616 • F 561.241.6418

Boca Raton Financial Planners is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James
Financial Services, Inc. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FIN-
RA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.