Review of The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005) by Stephen W — 07 Mar 2008
Depressing farce. Mr. Lazarescu is shuffled from hospital to hosptial during the course of one night, facing a monstrously indifferent healthcare system who constantly berate him for drinking and make arbitrary judgements about his condition without any recourse to diagnosis.
He is accompanied by a long-suffering ambulance paramedic who is the only person who cares, and is sniped at by the "doctors" for her sense of urgency and her professional attitude in relaying medical infromation.
I read this as a commentary on class attitudes and a corrupt bureaucratic hangover from communist rule. The events unfold almost in real time, and there is almost an Hitchcockian suspense in waiting for Mr.
Lazarescu to die. Whose dismissive, spiteful, patronising attitude is going to get him killed? I guess the whole system did it.
This review of The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005) was written by Stephen W on 07 Mar 2008.
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu has generally received very positive reviews.
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