City of Joy (1992)
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57% of critics liked it
(14 reviews) -
70% of users liked it
(6,145 ratings)
In this drama, a wealthy American doctor learns some important lessons about life in one of the poorest cities on Earth. Max Lowe (Patrick Swayze) is a Houston surgeon who has grown weary of the bureaucracy of American medicine. When he loses a patient on the operating table, Max impulsively decides… More In this drama, a wealthy American doctor learns some important lessons about life in one of the poorest cities on Earth. Max Lowe (Patrick Swayze) is a Houston surgeon who has grown weary of the bureaucracy of American medicine. When he loses a patient on the operating table, Max impulsively decides to leave America and travel to India in the hope of "finding himself." Not long after he arrives in Calcutta, Max is attacked by a group of thugs and left without money or a passport. However, a man named Hasari (Om Puri) comes to Max's rescue. Hasari had left his farming community to come to the city, only to be overwhelmed by its dirt, crime, and overcrowding. Despite their poverty, Hasari and his family take Max in and bring him to a medical clinic in the City of Joy, one of the poorest slums in the city. The clinic is run by Joan Bethel (Pauline Collins), an Irish-American nun who urges Max to use his skills to help the people of Calcutta who so desperately need it. Max signs on, and he finds that the experience changes his life. City of Joy was based on a novel by Dominique Lapierre. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Roland Joffé
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
- In Theaters
- Apr 15, 1992 Wide
- On DVD
- Apr 6, 2004
- Studio
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Shows how two men experience the enhancement of their lives by caring, commitment, and community.
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James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
"well-intentioned but mostly bland"
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Patrick Swayze
as Max Lowe
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Pauline Collins
as Joan Bethel
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Om Puri
as Hasari Pal
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Shabana Azmi
as Kamla Pal
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Art Malik
as Ashoka
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Ayesha Dharker
as Amrita Pal
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Santu Chowdhury
as Shambu Pal
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Imran Badsah Khan
as Manooj Pal
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Nabil Shaban
as Anouar
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Debotosh Ghosh
as Ram Chander
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Shyamanand Jalan
as Godfather/Ghatak
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Charu Bala Chokshi
as Binal's Wife
- Sam Wanamaker
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Subrata Sen Sharma
as Minister at Railway Station
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Anjan Dutt
as Dr. Sunil
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Ravi Jhankal
as Obstructing Policeman
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Sunil Mukherjee
as Hotel Porter
- Priscilla John
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Masood Akhtar
as Rassoul
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Baroon Chakraborty
as Said
- Debatosh Ghosh
