The Death of Mr. Lazarescu

Mr. Lazarescu (Ion Fiscuteanu), a sixtysomething retired engineer who lives alone with three mangy cats in a cramped Bucharest apartment, hasn't been feeling well for the past few days. After vomiting when he tries to take an aspirin for a terrible headache, Mr. Lazarescu decides to call an ambulance, a move that—in retrospect—will seem like the worst thing he could have done. Thus begins Cristi Puiu's The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, a disturbing and devastating indictment of arrogance in the face of suffering that serves up a harrowing inventory of ugly behavior, including late and sloppy ambulance drivers, hostile EMT workers, nurses and doctors who shirk responsibility, and various onlookers who are utterly indifferent to human misery. When Mr. Lazarescu tells a surgeon his head hurts, the doctor gives the patient a pat on the head and exclaims: “Good, it means you have one!”; when he says he's thirsty, it only reminds the EMT that she needs to take her own medication. All the while, Mr. Lazarescu's decline brings nary a crumb of compassion. Hardly a fun watch, this excellent film is still highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a 46-minute interview with director Cristi Puiu, a 12-minute “Perspective on the U.S. Healthcare System” segment with Dr. Fred Berlin, and a booklet featuring The New York Times film article by Alan Riding and an interview with the director. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a powerful film.] (P. Hall)