"Doctor Doctor" Indie Film Review-Hostage crisis comedy with a hypochondriac-centric heart

Facing the world with our fair share of uncertainties and/or apprehensions, many of which, sadly, may be well-founded, is nothing to sneeze at. Influenced and buffeted by the constant barrage of social media, fake news, and general upheaval present in our contemporary reality, what IS real and what’s not becomes a blur. Hence, what if your entire life to date has been to exist in a constant state of concern, even paranoia, for your health and overall well-being?

The concept is the foundational gist, adeptly written and executed in wonderfully comedic format, manifesting through this 98-minute indie feature film from writer/director/producer Steven Lee Mraovitch, writer/producer Jonathan Turco, producer Jared Turco, and executive producer Ben Loggins. Here, the narrative sees a young germaphobic, hypochondria-driven man, Oliver (Steven He), finding himself having to pose as a doctor when the local physician’s office is taken over by bank robbers.

Yes, it sounds utterly absurd, and that’s precisely what it is, to the most engagingly hilarious extents!! Watching the evolution of chaos that ensues out of one person’s simple desire to have freedom from bullying and other scrutiny due to his conspicuous (and extreme) obsessions with all things illness related alone is hysterical to absorb. Add in the perspectives of other patients and the robbers themselves to get snared in Oliver’s forced deception and actions….SO hilarious!

Our social media-driven culture and over-reliance on it, how we handle intense and unanticipated circumstances, sibling relationships, the questionable nature of the grander medical machine, how we rationalize our decisions made under duress, stabs at police brutality, other medical conditions, and dubious practices by those who are driven by greed rather than to genuinely help others are but some of the thematic explorations we witness amidst the consistently delivered laughs and pure entertainment the film just oozes and overflows with.

What I also appreciated was the fact that, in spite of the absolute insanity and witty atmosphere the film conveys, there is still an overall respect paid to those who really do face this type of condition Oliver battles with, and there’s a superb moment at the end of the film’s third act that backs this up with very affecting impact. This critic feels that is the mark of excellent filmmaking when serious conditions can be presented in such whimsical and fully uproarious manner while not remotely insulting or invalidating the actual condition itself.

I recently saw He in another comedic effort (review) with the same kind of approach to a specific condition, “Magnetosphere“, and the TikTok/YouTube sensation proves yet again he has the comedic chops to be a movie star though his role as Oliver. Able to so deftly play an individual who’s vulnerable, outright riotous, AND inspiring, He navigates Oliver’s character through the events at hand with such natural timing, delivery, and charming realism that you cannot help but root for the guy! Just a great performance through and through.

Ciara Van Buren is Mia, the doctor’s office’s secretary who exudes the most sidesplittingly, laugh-a-minute, frustrated-with-people sarcastic attitude paired with equal degrees of jocularity when she’s in a panic or attempting to aid in (or otherwise instigating!) a situation. Van Buren steals almost every scene she’s in, with facial expressions, body language, etc….SO on point. Plus, the combination of her and He together is undeniable comedic chemistry at its best. Like He, Van Buren just has a natural talent for this style of humor.

Guillermo Iván is Nick, the no-nonsense member of the criminal trio who tries his level best to KEEP things under control once they’ve arrived at the office in a stir. Rodd Cyrus plays James, Nick’s far more (maybe TOO) affable brother, who ends up contributing to the hostage situation in more wittily creative ways. The two actors are genius in playing complete opposite characters here, and provide PLENTY of amusement as the story unfolds. A perfect comedy duo for the film.

Plenty of awesome, irresistibly funny supporting turns arrive here from Frank Harts, Jacob Berger, C.L. Simpson, Zair Montes, Henry Larsen, Michael De Nola, Tina Chilip, Francesca Root-Dodson, Daniel Stewart Sherman, Damian Young, Erin Fogle, Joshua Schubart, Andrew Call, Daniel Barboza, Lance Daniels, Collin Kelly-Sordelet, and Joe Caniano. Ensemble casts are the best when they work well as a whole, and this is assuredly the case. Truly, “BRAVO!!”, all!

Light-hearted, delightfully offbeat, wholly nutty yet significant, and indisputably laugh-inducing from start to finish, “Doctor Doctor” is an ideal zero-to-hero film that pleases while it unpretentiously postulates on its core themes in a way that makes us all sit back and consider overcoming our present or perceived conditions, be open to the unexpected, and embrace our ability to make something more out of ourselves than we might ever have anticipated.