Lorenzo's Oil (1992)
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94% of critics liked it
(32 reviews) -
76% of users liked it
(14,672 ratings)
Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte give brilliant performances as parents trying to save the life of their son in George Miller's harrowing and heartbreaking Lorenzo's Oil. Based on a true story, the film begins as bright young Lorenzo (Zack O'Malley Greenburg) is leading a pleasant life on… More Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte give brilliant performances as parents trying to save the life of their son in George Miller's harrowing and heartbreaking Lorenzo's Oil. Based on a true story, the film begins as bright young Lorenzo (Zack O'Malley Greenburg) is leading a pleasant life on the Comoro Islands. But things start to go wrong with him -- he collapses, he raves, and he loses his hearing -- so his concerned parents, Augusto (Nick Nolte) and Michaela Odone (Susan Sarandon), take him to a doctor. The diagnosis is a death warrant; they are told that Lorenzo has been diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), an rare and incurable nerve disease that is always fatal. When Augusto and Michaela are told to be patient as they watch their son sink further into the debilitating illness, they take matters into their own hands and start their own investigation of the disease. Using rapeseed oil, they find their own treatment for ALD. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Directed By
- George Miller
- Written By
- George Miller
- Genres
- Drama
- In Theaters
- Dec 30, 1992 Wide
- Studio
- MCA Universal Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
If any movie of recent years deserves to be called "inspirational"--a much-abused term that one hesitates to revive apart from exceptional circumstances--this one certainly does.
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Variety Staff, Variety
Sarandon ... convincingly conveys a fierceness and tenacity that is almost frightening. The character never lets up, and neither does the film.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
The film comes over as a tour de force version of the disease-of-the-week TV movie: half scientific detective story, half domestic drama, replete with scenes of suffering.
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Janet Maslin, New York Times
This film has an appealingly brisk, unsentimental style and a rare ability to compress and convey detailed medical data.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
It takes a heartbreaking story and pushes it to the limit, showing us the lengths of courage and imagination that people can summon when they must.
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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Nick Nolte
as Augusto Odone
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Susan Sarandon
as Michaela Odone
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Peter Ustinov
as Professor Nikolais
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Kathleen Wilhoite
as Deirdre Murphy
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Gerry Bamman
as Doctor Judalon
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Margo Martindale
as Wendy Gimble
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Zack O'Malley Greenburg
as Lorenzo Odone
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James Rebhorn
as Ellard Muscatine
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Ann Hearn
as Loretta Muscatine
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Maduka Steady
as Omouri
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Mary Wakio
as Comorian Teacher
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Don Suddaby
as Himself
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Charles R. Altman
as Conference Parent
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Billy Amman
as Lorenzo
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Lamont Arnold
as Conference Parent
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Kathryn Aronson
as Conference Parent
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Becky Ann Baker
as Pellerman's Secretary
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Noah Banks
as Lorenzo
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Angus Barnett
as Suddaby's Junior Manager
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Todd Bella
as Special Child
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Jeremy Beyer
as Special Child
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Eliot Brinton
as Symposium Doctor
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William Cameron
as Pellerman
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Amelia Campbell
as Murphy Family
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Mary Schmidt Campbell
as Principal
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Susan Chapek
as Conference Parent
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Nancy Chesney
as Conference Parent
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Raina Clifford
as Special Child
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Richard Cordery
as Suddaby's Senior Manager
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Connie Cranden
as Special Child
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Daniel W. D'Arcy
as Special Child
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Elizabeth Daily
as Lorenzo
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Tia Delaney
as Special Child
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Anthony di Leo Jr.
as Conference Parent
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David Doepken
as Conference Parent
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Ann Dowd
as Pediatrician
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Jennifer Dundas
as Nurse Nancy Jo
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Nora Dunfee
as Murphy Family
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Nona Gerard
as Conference Parent
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Mary Pat Gleason
as Librarian
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Sandy Gore
as Murphy Family
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Michael Haider
as Lorenzo
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Mack Hegyes
as Special Child
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Zahra Ilkanipour
as Symposium Doctor
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Justin Isfeld
as Special Child
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Aaron Jackson
as Francesco Odone
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Rachel Jones
as Special Child
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Lianne Kressin
as Smiling Nurse
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Eric Kunkle
as Special Child
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Paul Lazar
as Professor Duncan
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Laura Linney
as Young Teacher
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Annie Loeffler
as Conference Parent
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Peter Mackenzie
as Immunosuppression Doctor
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Keiko McDonald
as Japanese Translator
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Ann McDonough
as Dietician
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David McFadden
as Father Killian
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Christine Merriman
as Special Child
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April Merscher
as Murphy Family
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John Mowod
as Conference Parent
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Marie Nugent-Head
as Symposium Doctor
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Michael O'Neill
as School Psycologist
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Lamar Olivis
as Special Child
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Ayub Ommaya
as Symposium Doctor
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Vladimir Padunov
as Russian Translator
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Nicolas Petrov
as World Bank Executive
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Carmen Piccini
as Cristina Odone
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Barbara Poitier
as Nikolais Secretary
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Matthew Pyeritz
as Special Child
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Keith Reddin
as Murphy Family
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Joyce Reehling
as Columnist
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Julie Marie Remele
as Conference Parent
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La Tanya Richardson
as Nurse Ruth
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C. Alex Roberts
as Special Child
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Helena Ruoti
as Judalon's Nurse
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David Shiner
as Clown
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Ryonosuke Shiono
as Symposium Doctor
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Rocco Sisto
as Murphy Family
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Neri Kyle Tannenbaum
as Female Lab Voice
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Shirley Tannenbaum
as Conference Parent
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Ryan Thomas
as Special Child
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William Thunhurst Jr.
as Ear Specialist
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Berta Van Zuiden
as Conference Parent
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Colin Ward
as Jack Gimble
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Nicholas Wiese
as Special Child
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Cristin Woodworth
as Lorenzo
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Brad Einhorn
as Male Lab Voice
- John Lyons
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James Merrill
as Symposium Doctor
