Themes: Teachers and Students, Doctors and Patients
Main Cast: Matthew Modine, Daphne Zuniga, Christine Lahti, Todd Field, John Scott Clough
Release Year: 1989
Country: US
Run Time: 107 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Gross Anatomy is to medical school what Paper Chase was to law school, with perhaps a little less sobriety. Mathew Modine plays a blue-collar kid attending a posh school of medicine, where everyone--teacher and student alike--seems to be well above Modine's social strata. Perhaps as a reaction to the snobbery all around him, Modine behaves as irreverently as possible. Neither teacher Christine Lahti nor lab partner Daphne Zuniga finds Modine's what-the-hell act appealing, but both are fully aware that he is a talented young man with a brilliant future. The climax of the film lays it on pretty thick in defining Modine as an all-around good fellow despite his cheekiness (he even delivers a baby just before taking his finals!), but Gross Anatomy strives successfully to be a "feel good" movie--albeit brought ever so slightly down to earth by the death of one of the principal characters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Alice Carter - Kim McCauley; Robert Desiderio - Dr. Banks; Zakes Mokae - Dr. Banumbra; J.C. Quinn - Papa Slovak; Rutanya Alda - Mama Slovak; Russell Bobbitt - Gunshot Victim; Gordon Clapp - Doctor; O. Laron Clark - Food Server; Clyde Kusatsu - Interviewing Professor; Steven Culp - Jerry Fanning Forrester; Michael Flanagan - Lecturing Professor; Charles Fleischer; Elizabeth Gilliam - Nina McCauley; Brandis Kemp - Aunt Rose; Tom Kurlander - Student; Jan Kuter; Kay Kuter - Lecturing Professor; Angus MacInnes - Dean Torrence; J. Patrick McNamara - Interviewing Professor; Jack Murdock - Old Patient; Max Perlich - Ethan Cleaver; John Petlock - Interviewing Professor; Diane Robin - Waitress; Bill E. Rogers - Cop; Kimberly Scott - Nurse Louise; John Short - Resident; Michael Stoyanov - Joel Cleaver; Alison Taylor - Cynthia Wilkes; Lisa Zane - Luann; Don Perry - Lecturing Professor; Bruce Beatty - Kelly; Scott Allan Campbell - Ed McCauley; Ryan Cash - Frankie Slovak; Pola del Mar - Gang Member's Mother; Frank Foti, Jr. - Cop; Rick Goldman - Truck Driver; Susanne Goldstein - Student; Jesse Anthony Gonzalez - Gang Member's Brother; Beth Hogan - Marie; Jan Munroe - Interviewing Professor; Frank Torres - Gang Member; Judith Weiner
Credit
P. Michael Johnston - Art Director, Debra Hill - Co-producer, Zvi Howard Rosenman - Co-producer, Gale Parker-Smith - Costume Designer, Thom Eberhardt - Director, Bud Smith - Editor, Scott Smith - Editor, Carol Baum - Executive Producer, Sandy Gallin - Executive Producer, David Newman - Composer (Music Score), Edouard Henriques III - Makeup, William Matthews - Production Designer, Steve Yaconelli - Cinematographer, Catherine Mann - Set Designer, Lauren Polizzi - Set Designer, Zvi Howard Rosenman - Screen Story, Stanley Isaacs - Screen Story, Martyn Burke - Screenwriter, Thom Eberhardt - Screenwriter, Alan Jay Glueckman - Screenwriter, Ron Nyswaner - Screenwriter, Zvi Howard Rosenman - Screenwriter, Mark Spragg - Screenwriter
Joe Slovak (Modine) is a brilliant first-year med student whose nonconformist approach to life is tested when he enrolls in gross anatomy, the toughest course in med school. Joe's freewheeling, independent style creates funny moments in the classroom, but puts him at odds with his demanding professor (Christine Lahti), who questions whether her class "rebel" has what it takes to be a doctor. Meanwhile, Joe falls in love with his lab partner Laurie (Daphne Zuniga), who won't let anything, especially romance, interfere with her plans. And while Joe's never done anything by the book, he proves he does have what it takes to succeed — without changing his ways!
Reaction
Received a three-star review from film critic Roger Ebert.
Opened in America with $2,830,387 on 853 theaters.
