Bad Medicine

Bad Medicine is an American comedy film from 1985, directed by Harvey Miller and written by Harvey Miller and David Rayfiel. The movie features an ensemble cast of Steve Guttenberg, Alan Arkin, Julie Hagerty, Bill Macy and Curtis Armstrong among others.

The story follows Jeff Marx (Guttenberg), a medical graduate who is desperate to become a doctor, even though he failed his exams four times. In order to pass, he decides to travel to Mexico and enroll in a medical school called Santa Lucia Medical School. However, when he arrives, he discovers that the school is not legitimate and is run by a crook named Carlos (Robert Romanus). Despite this, Jeff decides to stay and begins to learn medicine by watching operations and assisting his fellow students.

Jeff meets a fellow student named Nick (Arkin) who is actually a former doctor working as a janitor. Nick becomes Jeff's mentor and teaches him how to perform surgeries. With Nick's help, Jeff becomes more confident in his abilities.

Meanwhile, Jeff falls in love with a nurse named Liz (Hagerty), who is working in Mexico to help the poor. Liz helps Jeff study and prepares him for his exams.

As Jeff's medical knowledge grows, he becomes increasingly confident in his abilities, and starts performing surgeries on his own. However, his lack of formal training soon catches up with him and he makes some serious mistakes, which puts his patients in danger.

The rest of the movie is a hilarious madcap series of events, as Jeff tries to save his patients and keep his medical career alive, all while trying to outsmart the corrupt Carlos, who is trying to shut him down.

The performances in the movie are all excellent, with Guttenberg shining as the bumbling but lovable Jeff Marx. He is well-supported by Arkin, who is absolutely hilarious as the former doctor-turned-janitor. Hagerty is also great as the nurse who helps Jeff learn medicine and falls in love with him.

The movie is a lighthearted comedy, with plenty of slapstick humor and witty one-liners. The plot is fast-paced and engaging, and the scenery of Mexico is beautiful.

In addition to the humor, the movie also has some deeper themes. It explores the idea of what it means to be a doctor, and the ethics of medicine. Jeff starts off as a desperate student who is willing to do anything to pass his exams, but as he grows more confident, he realizes that being a doctor means more than just passing an exam. He learns to care for his patients and make ethical decisions, even when it means putting his own career at risk.

Overall, Bad Medicine is an entertaining and enjoyable movie that will have you laughing out loud. The performances are great, the plot is engaging, and the themes are thought-provoking. It's a movie that is both funny and heartwarming, and it's definitely worth watching.