PUNCTURE

US, 2011, 100 minutes, Colour.
Chris Evans, Mark Kassen, Marshall Bell, Brett Cullen, Vinessa Shaw, Michael Biehn, Kate Burton.
Directed by Adam and Mark Kassen.

Puncture is a story about a law case, a challenge by a small legal firm to the health industry, especially for its unwillingness to purchase a retracting needle to avoid infections from injections.

Chris Evans and Mark Kassen (who co-directed the film) portray the lawyers. Mark Kassen portrays Paul Danziger, an upright young man with a family. Chris Evans as Mark Weiss, portrays the more crusading adventurous lawyer, ready to confront the system when his partner wants to pull out. The difficulty is that he is a drug addict.

There is good support from Marshall Bell as the aggressive inventor of the retracting needle and Vinessa Shaw as a nurse who has been accidentally infected with the AIDS virus. Kate Burton is the senator who listens to the case, is sympathetic, but withdraws because of the large donation from the health industry to her campaigns.

The film is interesting as based on actual events, a David and Goliath story of individual lawyers confronting the system. They puncture the system – but the title also refers to injections, accidental, drug-addicted, life-saving.

1. The film based on a true story? The law, medicine, the companies?

2. The personal tone, the true story, the dedication of the lawyers?

3. American cities, apartments and homes, hospitals, boardrooms, courts? Real? The musical score?

4. The title, the focus, medical punctures and syringes? Dangers for infection? Drug addiction?

5. The introduction, the hospital, the emergency, the needles, the death, her infection?

6. The introduction to Mike, his age, personality, clothing style, friends, relationships with women, flirtatious? His practice of the law, sharp, winning cases, cocky, defying authorities?

7. The contrast with Paul, his age, work as a partner, friendship with Mike, more conservative? The steady work, home life, his wife, her pregnancy? Idealistic?

8. Jeffrey Dancort, his personality, gruff, his invention, his goals, the treatment by the companies, his plans, going to law, the meetings, his outbursts, audience sympathy?

9. The board meetings, the range of lawyers, the discussions, courtesies, smugness, contacts?

10. The health company bosses, their plans? The boycotting of the needle?

11. Deals, offers, Mike and his reaction, Paul and his wanting to pull out?

12. Mike, the increasing effect of the drugs, his different contacts, the effects of the drugs, buying them, becoming more unreliable, late for meetings? Determined? His death?

13. His work as inspiring, the risks, the variety of cases, his success?

14. An informative film? The role of the law? Corporations? A moralising story?