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IMDb > Lorenzo's Oil (1992)
Lorenzo's Oil
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Lorenzo's Oil (1992) More at IMDbPro »

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Lorenzo's Oil (1992) -- Based on the true story of a devoted couple's efforts to save their terminally ill son's life.
Lorenzo's Oil (1992) -- A boy develops a disease so rare that nobody is working on a cure, so his father decides to learn all about it and tackle the problem himself.
Lorenzo's Oil (1992) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.9/10   7,037 votes
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Down 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
George Miller (written by) &
Nick Enright (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Lorenzo's Oil on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 January 1993 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Some people make their own miracles.
Plot:
A boy develops a disease so rare that nobody is working on a cure, so his father decides to learn all about it and tackle the problem himself. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(9 articles)
The Notable Films of 2010: Part Three
 (From Dark Horizons. 17 December 2009, 11:42 PM, PST)

The Notable Films of 2010: Part Three
 (From Dark Horizons. 17 December 2009, 11:42 PM, PST)

User Reviews:
A story about hope. more (57 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Nick Nolte ... Augusto Odone

Susan Sarandon ... Michaela Odone

Peter Ustinov ... Professor Nikolais
Kathleen Wilhoite ... Deirdre Murphy
Gerry Bamman ... Doctor Judalon
Margo Martindale ... Wendy Gimble
James Rebhorn ... Ellard Muscatine
Ann Hearn ... Loretta Muscatine

Maduka Steady ... Omuori
Mary Wakio ... Comorian Teacher
Don Suddaby ... Don Suddaby
Colin Ward ... Jake Gimble
LaTanya Richardson ... Nurse Ruth (as La Tanya Richardson)
Jennifer Dundas ... Nurse Nancy Jo
William Cameron ... Pellerman
Becky Ann Baker ... Pellerman's Secretary

Mary Pat Gleason ... The Librarian
David Shiner ... Clown
Ann Dowd ... Pediatrician

Peter Mackenzie ... Immunosuppression Doctor
Paul Lazar ... Professor Duncan

Laura Linney ... Young Teacher
Helena Ruoti ... Judalon's Nurse
Luis Ruiz ... Judalon's Resident
Joyce Reehling ... Columnist
Barbara Poitier ... Nikolais Secretary
Mary Schmidt Campbell ... Principal
Michael O'Neill ... School Psychologist
William Thunhurst Jr. ... Ear Specialist
Ann McDonough ... Dietician
Lianne Kressin ... Smiling Nurse
Nicolas Petrov ... World Bank Executive
Richard Cordery ... Suddaby's Senior Manager
Angus Barnett ... Suddaby's Junior Manager
Keiko McDonald ... Japanese Translator
Vladimir Padunov ... Russian Translator
David McFadden ... Father Killian

Carmen Piccini ... Cristina Odone
Aaron Jackson ... Francesco Odone
Neri Kyle Tannenbaum ... Female Lab Voice (voice)
Brad Einhorn ... Male Lab Voice (voice)
Noah Banks ... Lorenzo Played

Elizabeth Daily ... Lorenzo Played (voice) (as E.G. Daily)
Michael Haider ... Lorenzo Played
Billy Amman ... Lorenzo Played
Cristin Woodworth ... Lorenzo Played
Zack O'Malley Greenburg ... Lorenzo Played
Sandy Gore ... Murphy Family Played

Nora Dunfee ... Murphy Family Played

Rocco Sisto ... Murphy Family Played

Amelia Campbell ... Murphy Family Played
April Merscher ... Murphy Family Played
Keith Reddin ... Murphy Family Played
Eliot Brinton ... Symposium Doctor
James Merrill ... Symposium Doctor
Ayub Ommaya ... Symposium Doctor
Marie Nugent-Head ... Symposium Doctor
Ryonosuke Shiono ... Symposium Doctor
Zahra Ilkanipour ... Symposium Doctor
Nancy Chesney ... Conference Parent
Nora Gerard ... Conference Parent
John Mowod ... Conference Parent
David Doepken ... Conference Parent
Susan Chapek ... Conference Parent
Kathryn Aronson ... Conference Parent
Shirley Tannenbaum ... Conference Parent
Lamont Arnold ... Conference Parent
Charles R. Altman ... Conference Parent
Julie Marie Remele ... Conference Parent
Anthony Dileo Jr. ... Conference Parent (as Anthony Dileo)
Annie Loeffler ... Conference Parent
Berta Van Zuiden ... Conference Parent
Lisa Montgomery ... Conference Parent
Raina Clifford ... Special Child
Nicholas Wiese ... Special Child
Todd Bella ... Special Child
Tia Delaney ... Special Child
Rachel Jones ... Special Child
Lamar Olivis ... Special Child
Matthew Pyeritz ... Special Child
Ryan Thomas ... Special Child
Daniel W. D'Arcy ... Special Child
Connie Cranden ... Special Child

Justin Isfeld ... Special Child
C. Alex Roberts ... Special Child
Jeremy Beyer ... Special Child
Mack Hegyes ... Special Child
Christine Merriman ... Special Child
Eric Kunkle ... Special Child
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Kiran Rao ... Symposium Doctor (uncredited)
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Directed by
George Miller 
 
Writing credits
George Miller (written by) &
Nick Enright (written by)

Produced by
Arnold Burk .... executive producer
Johnny Friedkin .... associate producer
George Miller .... producer
Doug Mitchell .... producer
Lynn O'Hare .... associate producer
Daphne Paris .... associate producer
 
Cinematography by
John Seale 
 
Film Editing by
Marcus D'Arcy 
Richard Francis-Bruce 
 
Casting by
Canice Kennedy 
John S. Lyons 
 
Production Design by
Kristi Zea 
 
Art Direction by
Dennis Bradford 
Jamie Leonard 
 
Set Decoration by
Karen O'Hara 
 
Costume Design by
Colleen Atwood 
 
Makeup Department
Suzanne Belcher .... makeup department head: Kenya
Fabrizio Sforza .... key makeup artist
Linda Williams .... additional hair stylist
 
Production Management
Chris Brigham .... unit production manager
Marcus D'Arcy .... post-production supervisor
Tova Laiter .... executive in charge of production
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve E. Andrews .... first assistant director
Philip A. Patterson .... second assistant director
 
Art Department
Norman Beck .... carpenter
Vincent Borrelli .... scenic artist
Francine Byrne .... art department
Brad Einhorn .... property master
Gordon Fitzgerald .... property master
Eileen Garrigan .... charge scenic
Megan Graham .... on-set dresser
Gary Kosko .... assistant art director
Ed Lohrer III .... on-set dresser
Mary O'Brien .... scenic artist
Gregory Puchalski .... scenic artist
Andrew M. Siegel .... assistant property master
Diana Stoughton .... assistant set decorator
S. Bruce Wineinger .... construction coordinator
John Wingrove .... additional art director
 
Sound Department
Julius Chan .... sound effects editor
Ian McLoughlin .... sound re-recording mixer
Ben Osmo .... production sound mixer
Wayne Pashley .... dialogue editor
Livia Ruzic .... dialogue editor
Fabian Sanjurjo .... additional adr editor
Roger Savage .... post-production sound mixer
Annabelle Sheehan .... adr editor
Jerome R. Vitucci .... boom operator
 
Special Effects by
Steve Fink .... special effects makeup
 
Visual Effects by
Craig Barron .... visual effects supervisor: Matte World Digital
Krystyna Demkowicz .... executive in charge of production: visual effects
Randy Jonsson .... matte photographer
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Brian W. Armstrong .... camera operator
Gregory L. Edwards .... grip
Stefano Falivene .... focus puller: Rome
Reg Garside .... gaffer
Laurie Kirkwood .... assistant camera: Australia
Robin P. Knight .... key grip
Frederick E. Kowalo .... grip
Jon D. Morrison .... rigging electrician
Jean-Pierre Nutini .... electrian
Keith Seymour .... grip
Joey Wrubleski .... grip
 
Casting Department
Linda Carola .... local casting assistant
Joe Shelby .... extras casting
Scott Alan Small .... extras casting
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
David Davenport .... wardrobe supervisor
Linda Matthews .... costume supervisor
 
Editorial Department
Lee Smith .... additional picture editor
 
Music Department
Nora Dunfee .... vocal consultant: Susan Sarandon
Christine Woodruff .... music supervisor
 
Transportation Department
George Bolton .... transportation captain
Mario Simon .... transportation coordinator
 
Other crew
Catherine Barber .... financial controller
Denise Blasor .... voice-over artist
Susan Gee .... production financing
Brian Hartman .... location manager
Tom Hester .... prosthetics designer
Ellen M. Hillers .... production coordinator
Robin Hollister .... location manager
Amy Hughes .... production assistant
Frederick E. Kowalo .... production assistant
Solomon J. LeFlore .... production financing
Julie Matthews .... production assistant
Daphne Paris .... script supervisor
Bob Pomeroy .... production assistant
Dawn Murphy Riley .... assistant to director
Neri Kyle Tannenbaum .... location manager
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsSpecial EffectsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
129 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Although a medical drama might seem an odd choice for the director of the "Mad Max" movies, George Miller is in fact a qualified doctor. more
Quotes:
Ellard Muscatine: When Michael, our first boy, got sick, we searched around looking for anything that might help him. You know what was the best thing that happened? He was taken quickly. Now Tommy... he has lasted three years, for two of them, he's been without his sight, his mind, everything that makes him a human being, he's a vegetable. Y'know if you would just stop all this denial, you wouldn't do a thing to prolong your boy's suffering and indignity one minute longer.
Loretta Muscatine: Has it occurred to you that maybe he doesn't want to be around anymore?
more
Movie Connections:

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26 out of 27 people found the following review useful.
A story about hope., 2 February 2004
9/10
Author: Dennis Schauw from netherlands

Lorenzo's oil

A true story about a battle for the life of Lorenzo who suffers from ALD. A rare disease which destroys all basic functions like speech and movement and in the end takes the life of the person. In this movie the parents fight the clock by doing their own research and investigation.

This is a true masterpiece, about hope. Acting and directing are fabulous. You can feel the cast being involved. I have seen a a lot of movies of Nick Nolte , but this must be one of his better ones. Here he proves he can do more than "another 48 hours". Nick is convincing in every way in this movie, even though he has a very hard part playing an Italian(Augusto Odone).

Susan Sarandon plays the mother of Lorenzo. It's incredible how she plays the part of a mother near the end of her powers pushing away everybody that does not share the same faith in saving the life of her son.

This movie is underrated, and should be given a chance. I seen a lot of movies and normally i do not watch this kind of movies, they cannot hold m y attention for long. But this one is different and really heartbreaking.

I had never heard about ALD. So today i did some investigation, and found out that Lorenzo still lives and you can write him if you want

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