Extraordinary Measures: Inspirational drama shot in Portland starring Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser

Portland, Oregon
by Stephen Otto – Portland Review

In a new inspirational drama, shot in Portland, Oregon, Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser and Keri Russell star in “Extraordinary Measures.” The film is inspired by the true story of John Crowley (Brendan Fraser), an entrepreneur who defied conventional wisdom and great odds to find a treatment for his children’s life threatening disease, acid maltase deficiency (aka: Pompe disease), a rare glycogen storage disorder (GSD) that causes severe muscle wasting and cardiac myopathy in infants and, without treatment, results in death before age two.

In March, while in town shooting the film, Brendan Fraser attended a Pompe conference, put on by the United Pompe Foundation and sponsored by Amicus Therapeutics in downtown Portland, where local adult-onset Pompe patients got to meet him and share their stories of what life is like living with Pompe disease and learn about the latest advancements in treatments for the disease. John Crowley, CEO of Amicus Therapeutics, was also in attendance and gave a brief story of how the movie came into being.

The film will debute on January 22nd, 2010.

Click here to watch the trailer for Extraordinary Measures

Pictures from the Portland Pompe conference

From left: Dr. Edward Cupler (OHSU Director of Neuromuscular Disease Center), Brendan Fraser, Thomas Brennan (OHSU research coordinator), Dianne Monson (Genzyme)