In the midst of a new scheme to publicly report surgeons’ performance, a gifted surgeon’s life is thrown into disarray as her colleagues begin to close ranks, and even her partner who is a nurse at the hospital turns her back on her.
Pam says:
Mistakes happen, but when they result in a life, then mistakes cannot be taken lightly. This is the subject of the aptly named film “A Mistake” starring Elizabeth Banks as Emergency Room physician Liz Taylor in the United Kingdom. A young woman comes in with critical symptoms all of which are relayed to Dr. Taylor by her resident or intern Richard. A quick diagnosis is made and surgery is needed asap.
We are brought into the operatory as Dr. Taylor dons her gown and gloves, then making the necessary incision to prepare the patient for laparoscopic techniques. Richard, nervous, takes the helm with Taylor in his ear, but his skills aren’t as deft and a mistake is made. Alarming the surgical team, Taylor steadies the ship and clears up the procedure, hoping that both her patient and her resident can recover.
The young woman doesn’t make it after going to the ICU, but did “the complication” during surgery cause the death? The M&M meeting (morbidity and mortality) begin to point fingers as the parents aren’t satisfied with Dr. Taylor’s superficial and cursory explanation of why their daughter is gone. Social media, newspaper coverage, and on-line accusations lead to Taylor’s suspension as the inquiry as to what lead to this young woman’s death continues.
The toll that death takes in a setting such as this isn’t one-sided. “A Mistake” gives us the doctor’s perspective as well as the support staff and resident on call. We also understand the family’s perspective — much more easily — and gain a more complete understanding of what happens when life and death decisions are made in a split second.
Banks sublimely portrays Taylor, a confident and competent surgeon who lashes out when her skills and judgment are questioned, but this character has to dig deeper into who she is and what she stands for. It’s a moment of growth, a crossroads in not only her career but her life, as she witnesses the domino effect that this one split-second decision has caused. (While Banks understands her role, I wish she had not chosen to use a British accent as this was distracting from the character.)
Politics play a role in this film as much as the actors; an unfortunate yet very real character in every hospital setting. Doctors must be accountable, but those in positions of power can be abusive which we see here. This adds to the ever-mounting tension that Taylor and her entire surgical team feels, but things must change. The question is, which part of the equation must be the change?
“A Mistake” challenges us to see a tragic event from all sides and understand things in a different and more compassionate way thanks to sharp, succinct writing. Capturing these smaller moments and layering them consistently and fully allows us to be a part of the film, eliciting a conversation after the credits roll. The message is clear and perhaps hospital administrators, abroad or here in the States, could learn a thing or two about communication to help in these dire situations.
3 1/2 Stars
