Puncture (film)
Encyclopedia
Puncture is an independent feature film starring Chris Evans
, directed by Adam Kassen
and Mark Kassen
. It was chosen as one of the spotlight films for the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival
, premiering on April 21, 2011 in New York City.
) is a young Houston lawyer and a drug addict. Paul Danziger (co-director Mark Kassen
), is his longtime friend and straight-laced law partner. Their personal injury law firm is getting by, but things really get interesting when they decide to take on a case involving Vicky (Vinessa Shaw
), a local ER nurse, who is pricked by a contaminated needle
. As Weiss and Danziger dig deeper into the case, a health care and pharmaceutical conspiracy teeters on exposure and heavyweight attorneys move in on the defense. Out of their league but invested in their own gain, the mounting pressure of the case pushes the two underdog lawyers and their business to the breaking point.
that he was unable to sell. The safety syringe manufacturer filed an antitrust lawsuit against the two largest hospital group purchasing organizations and a large syringe manufacturer claiming he was being shut out of the market. The case was settled before trial for $150 million dollars.
In addition the film brings to light several issues affecting American health care:
1. Accidental needle sticks cause thousands of US nurses to be infected by HIV, Hepatitis C and other infectious diseases every year.
2. Needle reuse in Africa and Asia directly cause 1.3 million deaths annually, 23 million hepatitis infections annually and 260,000 HIV/AIDS infections annually.
A passing reference in the movie also touches on whether AIDS in Africa is spread by sex or needle reuse. Research has found needle reuse, rather than sex, may have been the main cause of the rapid spread of AIDS in Africa. Fearing that if this comes to light Africans will refuse needle immunization and other important treatments, some health care professionals allege that the UN and WHO have moved to suppress this information. .
. The film was directed by Adam Kassen
and Mark Kassen
. Adam Kassen was quoted as saying "From the moment we heard about this story, we connected to what it says about the current state of our medical industry and the flawed hero that tries to fix it." The film was selected by the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival
to serve as one of the spotlight premiere features in the program's lineup. Millennium Films acquired the distribution rights with the movie premiering in New York on September 11 and opening in selected cities September 23, 2011.
Chris Evans (actor)
Christopher Robert "Chris" Evans is an American actor. He played Cary Baston on the television series Opposite Sex, and transitioned to a film career, starring in several hits, including Not Another Teen Movie , Fierce People , Fantastic Four, sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer , and...
, directed by Adam Kassen
Adam Kassen
Adam Kassen is an American independent film director, actor, writer and producer. He frequently collaborates with his brother Mark Kassen.-Career:...
and Mark Kassen
Mark Kassen
Mark Kassen is an American independent film director, actor, writer and producer. He frequently collaborates with his brother Adam Kassen.As an Actor Mark has appeared in numerous televisions shows TV that include NBC’s The Secret and Growing up Brady, CBS’s Cybil, NBC’s Third Watch and the pilot...
. It was chosen as one of the spotlight films for the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
, premiering on April 21, 2011 in New York City.
Cast
- Chris EvansChris Evans (actor)Christopher Robert "Chris" Evans is an American actor. He played Cary Baston on the television series Opposite Sex, and transitioned to a film career, starring in several hits, including Not Another Teen Movie , Fierce People , Fantastic Four, sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer , and...
as Mike Weiss - Mark KassenMark KassenMark Kassen is an American independent film director, actor, writer and producer. He frequently collaborates with his brother Adam Kassen.As an Actor Mark has appeared in numerous televisions shows TV that include NBC’s The Secret and Growing up Brady, CBS’s Cybil, NBC’s Third Watch and the pilot...
as Paul Danziger - Marshall BellMarshall BellArchibald Marshall Bell is an American actor. He has appeared in many character roles in movies and television. His best-known movies are probably A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge , Stand by Me , Twins and Total Recall .-Early life:He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he lived until...
as Jeffrey Dancort - Michael BiehnMichael BiehnMichael Connell Biehn is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in James Cameron's science fiction action films The Terminator as Kyle Reese, Aliens as Cpl. Dwayne Hicks, and The Abyss as Lt. Coffey. He has also acted in such films as Tombstone, The Rock, and Planet Terror...
as Red - Vinessa ShawVinessa ShawVinessa Elizabeth Shaw is an American actress and model. Shaw has starred in numerous motion pictures since the early 1990s, and is probably most well known for her performances in Disney's 1993 Halloween film Hocus Pocus, Ladybugs, the 2006 remake of Wes Craven's horror picture The Hills Have...
as Vicky - Jesse L. MartinJesse L. MartinJesse L. Martin is an American theatre, film, and television actor. He is known for originating the role of Tom Collins in the Broadway theatrical production of Rent, and for his portrayal of NYPD Detective Ed Green on the NBC drama television series Law & Order.-Early life:Martin, the third of...
as Daryl King - Brett CullenBrett CullenPeter Brett Cullen is an American actor who has appeared in numerous motion pictures and television programs. Early in 2007, he was cast as the role of an estranged father to one of the American football players, Tim Riggins , in the NBC drama series Friday Night Lights.Cullen was born in Houston,...
as Nathaniel Price - Kate BurtonKate BurtonKate Burton may refer to:*Kate Burton , American actress of stage and television*Kate Burton , British aid worker who was kidnapped in the Gaza Strip in December 2005 and released later that month-See also:...
as Senator O'Reilly - Roxanna Hope as Sylvia
- Jennifer BlancJennifer BlancJennifer Blanc is an American actress.She was born Jennifer Tara in New York City, New York.-Selected filmography:* Jerseyboy Hero * The Blood Bond...
as Stephany - Mark Lanier as Mark Lanier
Plot
Based on a true story, Mike Weiss (Chris EvansChris Evans (actor)
Christopher Robert "Chris" Evans is an American actor. He played Cary Baston on the television series Opposite Sex, and transitioned to a film career, starring in several hits, including Not Another Teen Movie , Fierce People , Fantastic Four, sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer , and...
) is a young Houston lawyer and a drug addict. Paul Danziger (co-director Mark Kassen
Mark Kassen
Mark Kassen is an American independent film director, actor, writer and producer. He frequently collaborates with his brother Adam Kassen.As an Actor Mark has appeared in numerous televisions shows TV that include NBC’s The Secret and Growing up Brady, CBS’s Cybil, NBC’s Third Watch and the pilot...
), is his longtime friend and straight-laced law partner. Their personal injury law firm is getting by, but things really get interesting when they decide to take on a case involving Vicky (Vinessa Shaw
Vinessa Shaw
Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw is an American actress and model. Shaw has starred in numerous motion pictures since the early 1990s, and is probably most well known for her performances in Disney's 1993 Halloween film Hocus Pocus, Ladybugs, the 2006 remake of Wes Craven's horror picture The Hills Have...
), a local ER nurse, who is pricked by a contaminated needle
Needlestick injury
A needlestick injury is a percutaneous piercing wound typically set by a needle point, but possibly also by other sharp instruments or objects. Commonly encountered by people handling needles in the medical setting, such injuries are an occupational hazard in the medical community...
. As Weiss and Danziger dig deeper into the case, a health care and pharmaceutical conspiracy teeters on exposure and heavyweight attorneys move in on the defense. Out of their league but invested in their own gain, the mounting pressure of the case pushes the two underdog lawyers and their business to the breaking point.
Underlying issues
The story is based on two young lawyers and a syringe manufacturer who had invented a safety syringeSafety syringe
Safety Syringe legislation has been introduced in many nations as needlestick injuries and re-use prevention become the focus of governments and safety bodies.Traditional glass syringes can be re-used once disinfected...
that he was unable to sell. The safety syringe manufacturer filed an antitrust lawsuit against the two largest hospital group purchasing organizations and a large syringe manufacturer claiming he was being shut out of the market. The case was settled before trial for $150 million dollars.
In addition the film brings to light several issues affecting American health care:
1. Accidental needle sticks cause thousands of US nurses to be infected by HIV, Hepatitis C and other infectious diseases every year.
2. Needle reuse in Africa and Asia directly cause 1.3 million deaths annually, 23 million hepatitis infections annually and 260,000 HIV/AIDS infections annually.
A passing reference in the movie also touches on whether AIDS in Africa is spread by sex or needle reuse. Research has found needle reuse, rather than sex, may have been the main cause of the rapid spread of AIDS in Africa. Fearing that if this comes to light Africans will refuse needle immunization and other important treatments, some health care professionals allege that the UN and WHO have moved to suppress this information. .
Development
Paul Danziger drafted the first version of the script which was rewritten by Ela Thier. After filmmakers Mark and Adam Kassen agreed to take on the project they brought in Chris Lopata to rewrite. Filming began on February 10, 2010 in TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The film was directed by Adam Kassen
Adam Kassen
Adam Kassen is an American independent film director, actor, writer and producer. He frequently collaborates with his brother Mark Kassen.-Career:...
and Mark Kassen
Mark Kassen
Mark Kassen is an American independent film director, actor, writer and producer. He frequently collaborates with his brother Adam Kassen.As an Actor Mark has appeared in numerous televisions shows TV that include NBC’s The Secret and Growing up Brady, CBS’s Cybil, NBC’s Third Watch and the pilot...
. Adam Kassen was quoted as saying "From the moment we heard about this story, we connected to what it says about the current state of our medical industry and the flawed hero that tries to fix it." The film was selected by the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
to serve as one of the spotlight premiere features in the program's lineup. Millennium Films acquired the distribution rights with the movie premiering in New York on September 11 and opening in selected cities September 23, 2011.