
Lorenzo's Oil
1992, Drama, 2h 15m
39 Reviews 10,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
A harrowing tribute to the heroism of parental love, Lorenzo's Oil is kept from abject misery by George Miller's sensitive direction and outstanding performances from Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Augusto Odone
Michaela Odone
Professor Nikolais
Deirdre Murphy
Dr. Judalon
Wendy Gimble
Critic Reviews for Lorenzo's Oil
Audience Reviews for Lorenzo's Oil
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Aug 04, 2021It has no easy villains or heroes as each character is observed with a nuance that gives their individual perspectives weight. One of the most emotionally satisfying and important movies about the delicate balance required for activism in medicine.Alec B Super Reviewer
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Aug 23, 2011An emotionally draining examination of possibly the most relentless and heartless disease I've ever heard of, Lorenzo's Oil is well wrought, and most definitely worth watching, due largely in part to the fine performances and educatory stance the film takes. It may frustrate you, but it will undoubtedly affect you.Cody H Super Reviewer
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Feb 07, 2011A true story about two determined parents who fight to find a cure for their son Lorenzo who has been diagnosed with a rare terminal illness. I found the movie quite boring sometimes when talking about the technical scientific parts of the disease but other times I found myself filled with tears during emotional and heartwarming moments. This movie was very inspiring. However, it could have been a lot better. For one thing, I felt like I was listening to Tommy Pickles' baby gurgling the whole time which was very annoying and distracted me. (This is because Elizabeth Daily played Lorzenzo's heavy breathing. She is also the voice of Tommy Pickles on the Nickelodeon TV show "Rugrats.") Also, sometimes the movie was so technical, it would appeal to someone with a scientific mind and lose people who have less interest in the science and more in the relationships. The acting was really good in this movie and I was very impressed with Zack O'Malley Greenburg's acting. He must have been QUITE a child actor or maybe he really did have a disease. He also spoke different languages! Wow. There was also a slightly heavy-handed scene where the father falls down the stairs and starts tearing at his shirt. This was bizarre and concerning but maybe a parent really would act like that if he knew his son would probably die and there wasn't much he could do about it. The best part of this movie was seeing the love that Lorenzo's parents had for him, and watching his mother Michaela reading to him and talking to him as a human being, not a vegetable, even though he was incapacitated and couldn't respond without blinking his eyes and moving his pinky finger.Dannielle A Super Reviewer
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Nov 07, 2010Like cod liver oil, this is a film to watch because it is good for you. You get to see the love of parents for their ailing child and how they find the cure on their own. Yee haw! Yes it is good but haven't we all seen these things before?John B Super Reviewer
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