Diagnosis Superstar
Synopsis
But the hospital is facing closure. A property developer is keen to see it gone.
A young journalist, Juliet, together with the man in charge, Dr Stern (himself disillusioned with the future of the NHS), decide to stand for it.
Their plan is to perform a play, inviting people, journalists and MP’s (Members of Parliament) to support their cause.
One of the patients, Richey, is released and goes to share flat with Pete, who is busy ‘re-imagining’ Shakespeare’s 'Romeo and Juliet' set on another planet and starts organizing the show. They badly need money and Richey takes up odd jobs to make ends meet.
Dr Stern takes a dozen of the staff and patients to work on a building site and make money for the play. He also goes to see the developer in charge of the project, trying to postpone the demolition day but without success.
Patients and staff go to a pub to celebrate Richey’s birthday but that ends with a scandal. Then Juliet and Richey end up on a bench by the river and they realize they are in love.
The play doesn’t go smoothly but is a success nevertheless and they have good audience, including their local MP, who has been forced to attend by Juliet. But still, the MP refuses to interfere because he is secretly going to benefit from the sale of the building.
Everyone is really disappointed apart from Pete, who takes everyone to a nightclub where he persuades his actress friend Tiffany to seduce the MP in a car and they take compromising pictures of them both.
Juliet and Richey spent that night together but later on, while walking her home, Richey gets run over by a van.
Next morning, in front of TV cameras, the MP becomes a passionate advocate of the hospital cause. A little later, Richey’s funeral procession takes place. Pete makes all the patients believe Richey is faking his death in order to remain here and not going back to the fictional planet.
Details
- Year
- 2009
- Type of project
- Features
- Running time
- 93 mins
- Format
- 35mm
- Director
-
Michael Tchoubouroff
- Producer
- Celia Forner
- Co-Producer
- Celia Forner
- Editor
- Ben Nugent
- Screenwriter
- Michael Tchoubouroff
- Director of Photography
- Dominc Rippl
- Production Designer
- Yasmin Al Naib
- Sound
- Duncan Richardson
- Principal cast
- Martin Owne, Peter Barrett, Alice Bird, Giles Alderson
Genre
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
WeebleFilms
31 Hatherley GroveLondon W2 5RB
UK
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