Extraordinary Measures is a movie starring Harrison Ford. The movie is based on a real life family who take a remarkable approach to the degenerative disease their children suffer. Frustrated at being unable to find a cure for an illness affecting their children and unwilling to sit back and do nothing the parents risk everything they have to fund researcher in this field. Is this a remarkable step to take? Would not every parent do the same for their sick child?

Yes it is an unusual action and yes most parents would cover all options in looking for a cure or at the very least the best treatment possible for their child.

Parallel to the main story, the movie also seems to represents a new period of American History, when a Black Man became President of the United States. For Americans the fact that a Black Man has entered the highest office in the land suggests anything is possible, including restructuring a very ill health insurance system. The movie attempts to highlight the Extraordinary Measures the President will be required to take to accomplish his health reforms

Human beings resilience, their ability to bounce back, is a much underestimated trait. Without resilience human beings would not have survived this long. The main theme of the movie demonstrates the resilience of families faced with difficult situations and having to make hard choices. It is not about finding a cure it is about finding humanity.

There is also a sub text to the movie which parallels the real life concern for the New President as well as many Americans and that is the issue of health care insurance.

Somehow the movie also gives the impression that taking a stance against injustice and carrying on despite incredible hardship is solely an American trait. Most people live in hope of a better, more cohesive society. Without inspiration from those who do survive despite the incredible circumstances of their lives, people everywhere would not be able to carry on living in hope.

Although the movie looks at the notion of hope from an extreme case there are examples of hope alive and well and living in the apparent mundane and ordinary. Hope is found wherever individuals and or communities strive and thrive despite expectations to the contrary. To continue to hope despite knowing the desired outcome is not going to change may seem foolhardy in some eyes. However, continuing to fight on brings with it a different idea of the meaning of the word hope. A journey involving hope implies little certainty. What becomes apparent in this type of journey is the human capacity for compassion, generosity and empathy.

Extraordinary measures are taken by people the world over. Going above and beyond what is expected of human beings as parents, children, colleagues, brothers and sisters, neighbours, communities occurs on a daily basis in all walks of life. People are social beings and positive, meaningful interaction with each other is necessary for societies to survive. A new President, what is more a new Black President, has ushered America into a period of optimism. Here is hoping cynicism is kept at bay for quite sometime to come.