

Damaged Care
Anesthesist Doug Peeno hopes to pay for the legal costs of his custody battle with the proceeds of his current wife Linda's new job, as medical officer in a greedy medical insurance company. Confronted with the medically unacceptable consequences of denied treatments, she rebels and finds even payments she approved were nevertheless withheld.
Insights
Plot Summary
The film follows the true story of Linda Hazzard, a disgraced physician who operated a "sanitarium" in the early 20th century. She preyed on wealthy and vulnerable patients, convincing them to undergo extreme fasting and other dangerous treatments. Her actions led to the deaths of many individuals, including the wealthy heiress Sarah Pearson.
Critical Reception
Damaged Care was a made-for-television film that generated some attention for its sensational subject matter and Laura Dern's performance. While it explored a disturbing historical case, critical reception was mixed, with some commending its attempt to bring the story to light and others finding it melodramatic or exploitative.
What Reviewers Say
- Laura Dern's performance as the calculating Dr. Hazzard is often cited as a strong point.
- The film tackles a dark and disturbing true-crime story, sometimes veering into melodrama.
- It effectively highlights the dangers of medical quackery and exploitation.
Google audience: Audience reception for Damaged Care is not widely documented through aggregated Google reviews. However, discussions indicate a general fascination with the true crime aspect and a strong impression left by the film's disturbing narrative.
Awards & Accolades
Laura Dern received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for her role.
Fun Fact
The film is based on the real-life case of Dr. Linda Hazzard, who was eventually tried and convicted of manslaughter for the death of one of her patients, though she served only a short prison sentence.
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