David Blech wanted to be remembered for creating an industry that saves millions of lives. Instead, he finds himself $11 million in debt, struggling to keep his family afloat and awaiting a possible jail sentence. Mental Illness and addiction are the powerful nemeses that threaten to bring down the one-time biotech titan as he races to develop a potential cure for Alzheimer’s Disease that could reverse his fortunes and rebuild his legacy.
Pam says: Timing is everything and this film just isn’t going to resonate with the general population today. There’s just not much sympathy for a man who had millions and reinvested more into biotech and pharmaceuticals for the thrill of the game and then lost it all. He owes everyone and can’t pay his bills. He’s got a law suit hanging over his head as he tries desperately to push clinical trials and data to make others invest in yet another company. It’s a vicious circle in which we, the viewer, become ensnared.
The description in this film is also misleading as the potential cure for Alzheimer’s Disease proves to be ineffective. Being a risky inventor and investor to help mankind does not give you a free pass to break the laws which ultimately hurts everyone. And while addiction and mental illness is real, and there’s no doubt Blech suffers from it, he didn’t learn his lesson until it was forced on him and he finds himself in front of a judge once again as he is charged with securities violation.
This is a maddening film where I asked myself aloud while watching it, “Why do I care about him? Why should I have sympathy for his situation? Why did they make this film?” I ended up agreeing with the judge and all of her admonishments which from my perspective were rightfully delivered to Blech. Watching a family struggle to stay in their high end apartment and continue to have a maid and provide incredible therapy for their son with autism is admirable, but there are just too many people who can never dream of being in such “low” state.
