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Critical Condition Details

1987 Certificate 15 Certificate 15 (TBC)
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 553 members

The storyline mixes outrageous comedy with a dose of suspense as it portrays the chaotic aftermath of a power failure in a big city hospital. Coupled to all this, Richard Pryor appears as a fake mental patient, hopefully avoiding going to prison. Read more

Starring Richard Pryor, Sylvia Miles, Joe Dallesandro, Bob Dishy
Director Michael Apted
Genres Comedy

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Critical Condition

The storyline mixes outrageous comedy with a dose of suspense as it portrays the chaotic aftermath of a power failure in a big city hospital. Coupled to all this, Richard Pryor appears as a fake mental patient, hopefully avoiding going to prison.

Starring Richard Pryor, Sylvia Miles, Joe Dallesandro, Bob Dishy, Ruben Blades, Joe Mantegna, Rachel Ticotin, Randall
Director Michael Apted
Studio PARAMOUNT HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 34 mins
Watch now: 1 hr 40 mins
Certificate DVD: Certificate 15, Watch Online: Certificate 15 (TBC)
Genres Comedy
Language DVD: English
Watch Online: English
Released DVD: 16 Aug 2004
Watch now: 08 Apr 2009
Production year: 1987
Watch now FREE
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (2) of Critical Condition

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  • 1 stars out of 5

    Director Michael Apted, whose eclectic CV includes Gorillas in the Mist and Coal Miner's Daughter, must have been having a bad day when he agreed to direct this unamusing star vehicle for Richard Pryor. Pryor, an influential and imaginative comedian during the seventies and early eighties, falls down here, playing a hustler who feigns insanity to stay out of prison and, after a series of ludicrous misadventures, ends up running the mental institution into which he has been committed. Yes, it's that ridiculous.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • Zany, hepped-up comedy which fails on all counts.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of Critical Condition

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    One of my all time favourite movies

    Richard Pryor is on top form as a small-time businessman with grand schemes who gets caught up in the arrest of a mob boss. Warned that he will die in jail for being the grass, he fakes insanity. Sent to a mental ward for evaluation, and despite his best efforts at persuading the shrink that he is insane, is on the verge of being sent to prison when a storm hits the hospital. In the confusion of power cuts and gale force winds he escapes. Finding he can't get off the island he returns to the hospital where he is mistaken for a locum doctor. With the added tension of an escaped murderer and patients lives at stake, he proceeds to lead the hospital and the young administrator through the crisis in a hilarious series of problem solving scenes.

    Fast-talking Pryor doing crazy things -they don't make comedy films like this anymore.

      • John Hicks from Newbury, England
      • Posted 11 Jan 2005 10:04

  • Most recent members' review of Critical Condition

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  • Rated - 5 stars

    Excellent , Well Worth Watching :-)

    Excellent , Well Worth Watching :-)

      • A customer from uk
      • Posted 19 Oct 2005 13:16

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Rating breakdown

553 Member ratings
  • 100
37
  • 90
38
  • 80
80
  • 70
79
  • 60
109
  • 50
74
  • 40
63
  • 30
34
  • 20
26
  • 10
13

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      • The storyline mixes outrageous comedy with a dose of suspense as it portrays the chaotic aftermath of a power failure in a big city hospital. Coupled to all this, Richard Pryor appears as a fake ...