My Review of "The Healer"

The Healer is a movie about believing in a higher being. I have to choose my words correctly to describe this movie but this movie does put out interesting ideas and guess what we would do in the same situation. It's a mediocre movie that a lot can enjoy.

This movie starts off with the character Alec, played by Oliver Jackson-Cohen. We see how he's living his life in London in the UK. He's a mechanical engineer but uses his profession to fix electronics for his store called "The Healer". It's obvious that he doesn't care much about the store as he likes to fornicate with women and gamble. I guess the fixing electronics thing is just a front for him to meet up with different women.

We soon discover that Alec is in trouble with a whole slew of different organized crime organizations and his debts are so high that he needs to go in hiding.

Fortunate for Alec he has an uncle that he's never heard of that is willing to pay off all of his debts but he has to move to Nova Scotia in Canada for a full year. This is a really random change of events. You'll later find it really funny that Alec's secret uncle Raymond is played by Jonathan Pryce. He played the famous priest in Game of Thrones. I don't think it was coincidental that they chose him to play this role.

So after some reflection and a talk with a priest in a church Alec finally concludes that he really has no choice but to move to Canada. The instant he lands in Canada they play around with how quirky locals are and his precarious position.

Alec soon realizes something is definitely strange and when he finds out what is actually going on he becomes even more skeptical of his scenario. Although when he discovers what has happened to him I sort of questioned what I would have done if I was in his position.

Would you shun away from having a superpower that can save people? Or would you take on the huge responsibilities of saving countless of people who need help? I came to understand that it can be a huge burden if you can actually help people because once they find out they'll tell others and then you're swamped. There would be no time for yourself and could possibly go mad because of that.

The movie is pretty predictable but it isn't a movie that you'll groan for the duration of the film. I admit there are a lot of groan moments even cringe-y cheesy moments as well. I was still able to enjoy it though. It talks a lot about faith and how a higher being is able to talk to us not directly but through opportunities.

The acting was okay. I thought the child actor was a little awkward but usually child actors are. There was a weird mix of portrayals of characters in this movie. Some of the actors would ham it up whereas some took it very serious in tone. So there was a bit of a weird consistency issue in terms of the way the actors portrayed their characters.

Still this is a low budget movie and I liked the fact that they went to Nova Scotia to film it. I'm biased because I'm Canadian I guess. I'll throw them a bone since it's obviously a made for TV movie. There were some nice messages that they were trying to tell the audience. I loved the fact that the movie was filmed in memory of Paul Newman. That was a nice touch.

Overall, I thought this movie was enjoyable but not exactly great either. It was always sort of meh while I was watching it. I have have to give this movie a 6.5 out of 10. It is worthy of a watch but I wouldn't recommend anyone to go out of their way to watch it. It is definitely not worth a second viewing.