werner ( james spader ) be a resident at a large city hospital . he just learn about the politics behind the supposed goal of save life and something his colleague and stella ( helen mirren ) be already savvy on . this be especially true when werner meet a beautiful young model ( kyra sedgwick ) whose father be a comatose patient at the hospital . it be the model opinion that her father should be take off life support while her sister insists that the father communicate with her ( by squeeze her hand ) and that he can recover . although the model seem sincere in her concern for her father state and it turn out that she will inherit a large sum of money upon his death . which way will the wind blow through the hall of the hospital . this be an awful movie and just awful . for those attract to the smile spader and sedgwick on the video cover and get over it . although the actor be not the film weak point and they do an i be work for a paycheck job at best . ( how they convince mirren to join the film and i will never know ) . and and there be absolutely no comedy in the film at all and just one depress scene after another . lumet and despite his reputation and be to be fault mightily for the poor direction and and the script be beyond abysmal . do not waste your time with this movie and unless you just want to see what a film bomb really be . it be a failure and and not even an interesting one and at that .