Gross Anatomy (1989)

30% of critics liked it
(10 reviews)
43% of users liked it
(5,403 ratings)

Gross Anatomy is to medical school what The Paper Chase was to law school, with perhaps a little less sobriety. Matthew Modine plays the blue-collar Joe Slovak, who's attending a posh school of medicine where everyone -- teacher and student alike -- seems to be well above his social stratum. Perhaps… More Gross Anatomy is to medical school what The Paper Chase was to law school, with perhaps a little less sobriety. Matthew Modine plays the blue-collar Joe Slovak, who's attending a posh school of medicine where everyone -- teacher and student alike -- seems to be well above his social stratum. Perhaps as a reaction to the snobbery all around him, he behaves as irreverently as possible. Neither his teacher Dr. Rachel Woodruff (Christine Lahti) nor his lab partner, Laurie Rorbach (Daphne Zuniga), finds Joe's what-the-hell act appealing, but both are fully aware that he is a talented young man with a brilliant future. The climax of the film lays it on pretty thick in defining Joe as an all-around good fellow despite his cheekiness (he even delivers a baby just before taking his finals!), but Gross Anatomy strives successfully to be a "feel-good" movie -- albeit brought ever so slightly down to earth by the death of one of the principal characters. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 47 min.
Directed By: Thom Eberhardt
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 20, 1989 Wide
On DVD: Sep 3, 2002

Critic Reviews

Clint Morris, Mediasharx
Has real heart. Lahti gives a poignant performance
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
It's an unfunny "Young Doctors in Love."
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum
Cheesy comedy that works as background visuals at a party.
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
silly med-school soap opera
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
So-so med-school rom-drama.

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

rather ordinary film with an extraordinary performance by the great Christine Lathi.
Deb S

In spite of its misleading name, this is no horror film but a romantic drama with comedic elements. Daphne Zuniga and Matthew Modine play students in med school surrounded by other med students who, are all driven to excel. Zuniga is very much work focused and rigidly serious but… More
In spite of its misleading name, this is no horror film but a romantic drama with comedic elements. Daphne Zuniga and Matthew Modine play students in med school surrounded by other med students who, are all driven to excel. Zuniga is very much work focused and rigidly serious but Modine`s character is the somewhat stereotypical "hotshot street smart bad boy" who doesn't care enough. Naturally they are attracted to each other. Two things captured my attention; the grueling pressures associated with the first year of medical school (with a continuing theme of dissecting corpses) and all the stress and strain of coping with the exams and workloads for students from different backgrounds and with different motivations. The interaction with his instructor Dr Woodruf who tries to extract the most from him is very interesting to note.
Leo L

A great film! A favorite.

Cast

            Matthew Modine as Joe Slovak

            Daphne Zuniga as Laurie Rorbach

            Christine Lahti as Dr. Rachel Woodruff

            Todd Field as David Schreiner

            John Scott Clough as Miles Reed

            Alice Carter as Kim McCauley

            Robert Desiderio as Dr. Banks

            Zakes Mokae as Dr. Banumbra

            J.C. Quinn as Papa Slovak

            Rutanya Alda as Mama Slovak

            Russell Bobbitt as Gunshot Victim

            Gordon Clapp as Doctor

            O. Laron Clark as Food Server

            Clyde Kusatsu as Interviewing Professor

            Steven Culp as Jerry Fanning Forrester

            Michael Flanagan as Lecturing Professor

            Charles Fleischer
            
            Elizabeth Gilliam as Nina McCauley

            Brandis Kemp as Aunt Rose

            Tom Kurlander as Student

            Jan Kuter
            
            Kay E. Kuter as Lecturing Professor

            Angus MacInnes as Dean Torrence

            J. Patrick McNamara as Interviewing Professor

            Jack Murdock as Old Patient

            Max Perlich as Ethan Cleaver

            John Petlock as Interviewing Professor

            Diane Robin as Waitress

            Bill E. Rogers as Cop

            Kimberly Scott as Nurse Louise

            John Short as Resident

            Michael Stoyanov as Joel Cleaver

            Taylor Swift as Cynthia Wilkes

            Lisa Zane as Luann

            Don Perry as Lecturing Professor

            Bruce Beatty as Kelly

            Scott Allan Campbell as Ed McCauley

            Ryan Cash as Frankie Slovak

            Pola del Mar as Gang Member's Mother

            Frank Foti Jr. as Cop

            Rick Goldman as Truck Driver

            Susanne Goldstein as Student

            Jesse Anthony Gonzalez as Gang Member's Brother

            Beth Hogan as Marie

            Jan Munroe as Interviewing Professor

            Frank Torres as Gang Member

            Judith Weiner
            
See full cast