Lorenzo's Oil
A determined couple turns parental devotion into an audacious search for treatment when their young son is diagnosed with a rare degenerative brain disease.
Overview
A heart-wrenching journey of parental love and determination in the face of an unimaginable challenge.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- harrowing
- emotional
- serious
- reflective evening
- true story night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a harrowing yet deeply moving account of parental love, sustained by George Miller's direction and strong performances from Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Augusto and Michaela Odone educate themselves, consult specialists, and pursue a treatment for Lorenzo after doctors cannot halt ALD.
The Odones turn their fear and grief into an organized effort to understand and combat Lorenzo's disease.
The search for a biochemical intervention, competing theories, and experimental testing drive the dramatic progression.
Lorenzo's blackouts, memory lapses, and degenerative symptoms make the family's struggle harrowing and intimate.
Films like Lorenzo's Oil, and why
The Theory of Everything
emotionally intense true-story drama about parents confronting an incurable illness through persistence and research
Awakenings
inspiring medical drama centered on determined caregivers challenging institutional limitations
The Elephant Man
moving family drama based on true events, with parental love tested by devastating disease
The Doctor
serious, compassionate medical drama emphasizing perseverance, ethics, and human dignity
Movie Details
- Director
- George Miller
- Release Date
- 1992-12-30
- Runtime
- 135 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (587)
Cast
- Nick Nolte
- Susan Sarandon
- Peter Ustinov
- Ann Hearn
- Maduka Steady
- Aaron Jackson
- Laura Linney
- Kathleen Wilhoite
- Gerry Bamman
- Margo Martindale
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Lorenzo's Oil about?
- A determined couple turns parental devotion into an audacious search for treatment when their young son is diagnosed with a rare degenerative brain disease.
- What is Lorenzo's Oil like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Lorenzo's Oil as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Lorenzo's Oil violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Lorenzo's Oil.
- What did critics think of Lorenzo's Oil?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a harrowing yet deeply moving account of parental love, sustained by George Miller's direction and strong performances from Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon.
- Which films are like Lorenzo's Oil?
- Films with a similar feel include The Theory of Everything, Awakenings, The Elephant Man, and The Doctor.
- How long is Lorenzo's Oil?
- Lorenzo's Oil runs 135 minutes.
- Where can I watch Lorenzo's Oil?
- In United States, Lorenzo's Oil is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
