Article 99 is a 1992 American comedy-drama film directed by Howard Deutch and starring Kiefer Sutherland, Ray Liotta, Forest Whitaker, John Mahoney, and Lea Thompson. The film deals with the struggles of doctors and patients in a Veterans Administration Hospital, faced with funding problems, staff corruption, and conflicting bureaucracies.
Dr. Richard Sturgess (played by Kiefer Sutherland) is a compassionate doctor who is determined to provide the best possible care for the veterans at the hospital, despite the fact that the hospital is chronically understaffed and underfunded. Along with his colleagues, Drs. Morgan (played by Ray Liotta), Handleman (played by Forest Whitaker), and Van Dorn (played by John Mahoney), Sturgess fights against the corrupt administration and the harsh realities of healthcare in the face of budget cuts and political red tape.
The main conflict of the film centers around Article 99, a bureaucratic loophole that prevents many of the hospital's patients from receiving the benefits and care they deserve. Sturgess and his team must navigate through this obstacle and other challenges, such as a lack of medical supplies and equipment, to ensure that their patients receive the care they need.
As the hospital's problems worsen, Sturgess and the other doctors begin to take matters into their own hands, bending the rules and taking risks to provide quality care to their patients. But their actions put them in direct conflict with the hospital administration, which threatens their jobs and careers.
Article 99 deals with serious issues related to healthcare, bureaucracy, and corruption, but it also has its share of humor and heartwarming moments. The performances of the ensemble cast, led by Kiefer Sutherland, make this film a powerful and memorable portrayal of the struggle to provide care and compassion to those who need it most.
