Noble Vision is written by Gen LaGreca, based on her novel of the same name. Directed by Dan T. Hall and Philip Paluso, the film stars Michael Rubenstone as neurosurgeon David. He’s a brilliant doctor, constantly pushing for innovation and better ways to help his patients. Unfortunately, due to a bureaucratic entity known as CareFree, his ideas and research are considered fringe and, therefore, illegal. See, CareFree controls the procedures medical professionals are allowed to carry out, and if they are not pre-approved, they are not allowed. The upside for citizens is that CareFree is just that — it’s free. The downside is that unexpected or unforeseen catastrophes mean the surgeon has limited options available to save the patient’s life.
David has never liked playing ball with CareFree. Still, he stays in their good graces due to his capitulating wife, Marie (Afton Shepard), and brother, Randy (David Wesley Marlowe), who is the hospital director. But after an accident at a Broadway theater leaves beloved actress/ballerina Nicole (Rayna Wilson) blind, David is forced to fight the entire government to be given the shot to let her see again. This puts a greater distance between him and his wife while endangering his ability to practice medicine ever again.
Noble Vision works on a character and acting level. It works less on a critique of the government overstepping its bounds. The problem is that CareFree doesn’t make a lot of sense. How did the numerous medical boards, etc., approve the program? What if someone isn’t a resident of New York City? How is it funded exactly? No points will be awarded for guessing that it’s just a front for corrupt politicians because, obviously, it is. But that doesn’t explain away the questions, such as those already asked above among others, in a satisfying way.
“…after an accident at a Broadway theater leaves beloved actress/ballerina Nicole blind, David is forced to fight the entire government to be given the shot to let her see again.”
However, David’s devotion to his patients and his desire to create medical breakthroughs for all humankind make perfect sense. In part, this is because Ruebenstone is perfectly cast as the neurosurgeon. The actor plays David’s obsession with Nicole’s hit show, Triumph, with the right amount of “aw shucks” sweetness. When confronting Marie about how she’s changed as a doctor, he is intensely dramatic.
For her part, Wilson is also quite good. She’s elegant enough to be believable as a ballet dancer while still delivering the heartache and seriousness of her character’s unimaginable plight. Shepard’s stoic line readings work for Marie’s backstory, while D. Paul Thomas is unforgettable as David and Randy’s power-seeking father.
The characters in Noble Vision also work because the film takes its time. Running 2 minutes shy of 2 hours, the plot is not hurried at all. It takes its time to dive into what makes David tick, why Nicole feels this surgery is a must, and the constant friction the doctor feels from CareFree. While the company (initiative? Again, what exactly CareFree is remains nebulous) is poorly defined, its threat to the lead’s livelihood is filled with tension.
Noble Vision is full of engaging, well-rounded characters trying to navigate an unthinkable situation without sacrificing their morals. However, it is less successful when an audience member begins thinking about how CareFree could ever possibly work or even be approved. But this still works as a drama thanks to the writing of the characters and the acting bringing them to life.
For more information about Noble Vision, visit the Winged Victory Foundation site.
"…Ruebenstone is perfectly cast..."
