It stars Mary Tyler Moore and James Garner, with Sam Wanamaker, Wendy Crewson, David Gardner, and Carl Marotte in supporting roles.
New York urologist Harold Lear gets a taste of his own medicine when he suffers a heart attack and is confronted with a medical institution which does not seem equipped to help.
According to The Washington Post, author Martha Weinman Lear said: "I'm thrilled by the casting" and "I'm extremely lucky to have landed in the care of all these people… The screenplay is incredibly faithful to the spirit and substance of the book.
"[2] The New York Times' television critic John J. O'Connor wrote that "the film packs something of the wallop of a powerful and unblinking documentary" and lauded the performances of Moore and Garner.
[3] The Peabody Awards noted that "both Moore and Garner turn in captivating performances and take full advantage of a lean and emotionally powerful script.