Wow! Such a good movie.

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Being a conservative politically and a PhD molecular biophysicist, it must be stated that many who have reviewed the film are unaware of the truths that irrefutably underlie this story. Sure, the first human surgery was not a success, nor was it an utter failure. It was, however, the beginning of a new epoch of medical science. And for that, history has properly recorded the step as giant. The racial overlay of the times is also undeniable. Thomas was as portrayed--and so was his mentor Alfred Blalok. Blalok was of course tainted by his times and like all but the would-be few, he was imperfect. Yet his stature cannot be denied.The film is not liberal hype. Many, of course are. This, on the other hand, is not. The film compresses the nascent open heart surgical experiences at Hopkins for dramatic purposes, but the sense of the moment and its sentient portrayal of that pinnacle moment in medical time cannot be understated.The film is accurate where accuracy counts, and it is a dramatic work of high merit. Phooey to those uninformed doubters. Do some research and re-watch this marvelous film.

Apparently Mos Def is a rapper. But alongside veteran actor Alan Rickman, we'd be hard-pressed not to regard him as Rickman's thesp equal.A True Story worthy of movie status. Not another Viet Nam bore-fest or boxer's tragic rhapsody or musician's clichéd biopic, SOMETHING THE LORD MADE addresses an aspect so embedded in our modern culture we take it for granted - the story of the first heart bypass surgeries.Alan Rickman is cardiologist Dr. Alfred Blalock (endowed with that god-attitude intrinsic to most heart surgeons), who arrives at John Hopkins Hospital in 1941 with Vivien Thomas in tow (Mos Def), his poverty-stricken, creative, resourceful lab technician.Blalock and Vivien together create a new discipline in operating on malformed hearts adversely affecting blood circulation. The means by which they arrive at solutions to their biological puzzles must seem simple and obvious to today's heart surgeons, but it was counter-intuitive in those days when the medical profession's idée fixe was that the human heart was so complex that Man should go nowhere near it. It was Something The Lord Made (which presumes - for people who believe "the Lord" had anything to do with the human body at all - that he either didn't make everything else, or that he made the rest of it as simple as a cucumber).The OTHER prejudice in SOMETHING THE LORD MADE is that good old good ole boy standby - racism. Vivien is black, which, in those times only minimally less tolerant than these, meant denigration, deprivation, and prejudiced dismissal at every opportunity. You know, exactly like today. Couple that with the fact he has no medical degree and the race/medical prejudices are off the doctor's charts. Though he had no formal education, the didactic, ambitious Vivien's understanding of medical procedures was so innate he ended up advising Blalock in the operating room (on the special procedures for heart shunts they invented). To the chagrin of the all-white surgeon country clubbers.Movie dramatizes and compresses all the double-prejudices (the heart-operation thing and the black-guy-as-doctor thing). Only those who lived through those times would ever know the gutshock reality. Nothing can truly convey the utter contempt that the ruling white classes harbored for blacks – we can only be reminded by movies that such times existed. In this age when there is still much racism to be overcome, we cannot imagine how frightful it must have been for whitey to accept a black man in the operating room touching his innards. Especially a rapper.Mary Stuart Masterson is Dr. Helen Taussig, another cardiologist instrumental in Blalock's and Vivien's research. These three far-seeing minds pioneered treatment of the "blue baby" syndrome (called tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart malformation that robs the blood of oxygen, causing the baby's face to turn bluish).If we're to believe the end credits, the "blue baby" operations at Johns Hopkins launched the field of cardiac surgery.I spent most of this movie on the verge of tears, for the greatness of these people. (And for the greatness of Mos Def's talent in burying himself in this humble role.) Tempering my admiration - ego, politics, peer pressure. Blalock was a respected white doctor and there were times when he simply succumbed to passive racism for its political benefits. Yet when he needed Vivien most - in the operating room (his oft-repeated question, as he hunched over patients' open hearts without the luxury of turning around, "Are you there, Vivien?") - Vivien was always at his shoulder.In Blalock's defense, the double-whammy prejudice thing has a tendency to overshadow the achievements and courage of the white guy. Blalock did, in fact, forge new methods for heart surgery. Give the honky a little sugar, activists! Both their portraits hang in equal prominence at John Hopkins, and Vivien received an honorary degree for his work; achieving the recognition he neither sought nor cared for, but through the recognition, gaining his long overdue respect. But for Mos Def to win any sort of award for this magnificent performance, well, don't turn blue holding your breath...--Review by Poffy The Cucumber (for Poffy's Movie Mania).

I LOVE this movie. I had this on my DVR for about 2 weeks before getting around to it. Wasn't feeling that motivated to watch it. Within 10 minutes I was completely sucked into it. I normally watch movies while working at my desk so the first time I watched I probably only absorbed 70% of it. I brought the movie to my father's house to watch with him for the second time. I knew he would love it and he did. This time I was able to soak in every sweet minute of this great film.****** THE REST OF THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS********As far as the general flow of the movie, I loved they way they tied in historical footage regarding racism and the changes made in the 60's with the civil rights movement to reflect the journey of Vivien Thomas. If it weren't for the changes made in this country he may never have received the recognition he so clearly deserved.I don't know if the characters as portrayed by these 2 great actors is accurate or based on some kind of research, but I felt like both Alan Richman (swoon) and Mos Def did a beautiful and sublime job of getting across who these men were. I was particularly fascinated by the obvious combination of arrogance and humility that defined Dr. Blaylock. His lack of ego allowed Vivien to contribute what was necessary to make this endeavor a success. At the same time Dr. Blaylock's focus on his medical research made him oblivious to some of the struggles that Vivien had to endure, in particular the consequences of the racism around him. A truly complex character as many people in real life are. Alan Richman is one of my acting GODS but I have to say that I was completely taken by surprise by Mos Def. His performance is low key yet he conveys so many emotions without speaking a single word. I'm excited for him as I assume after this film he will not be hired only as a comic relief sidekick. Way to go Mos Def!When I was watching this with my Dad we both got chills in the scene where the baby goes from blue to healthy pink...even though I had already seen the movie once before! I could probably watch this movie many more times with someone new so that I can share the experience of this truly great film.The final scene where Vivien is looking at the pictures on the wall is so emotional I'm sure many people were crying at this point. I'm so glad that this was not a story of posthumous recognition and that Viven had the chance to feel the world's gratitude. What an amazing story of destiny, perseverance, courage and brilliance. Did I already mention that I LOVE THIS MOVIE?

I know nothing of Mos Def in the rap world, but his outstanding performance in Something the Lord Made is a "must see" movie. The story is gripping in the fact of what Vivian Thomas accomplished amid such bigotry in that era of time. I'm proud to see that he was finally recognized for his great achievements, but ashamed of what he had to go through. Had he had the proper respect and opportunities that others had, perhaps he would have achieved even more; he was hindered and burdened by history. I would love to see his portrait FIRST before seeing the others that came before him. Perhaps seeing Mos Def in this medium of performing, I would consider listening to (a)rap song, which (respectfully) I'm not fond of...but, I would be more likely to try the "rap" starting with him, simply because of his performance in Something the Lord Made.