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...First Do No Harm

...First Do No Harm

She went looking for help... and found a miracle

TV movie199794 minPG-13Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Director
Jim Abrahams
Starring
Meryl Streep, Fred Ward, Allison Janney, Seth Adkins

When Lori Reimuller learns that her young son Robbie has epilepsy, she first trusts the judgment of the hospital staff in how best to bring it under control. As Robbie's health slides radically downhill, however, she becomes frustrated and desperate, and so does her own research into the existing literature on treatments. When she decides to try an alternative treatment called the Ketogenic Diet, devised long ago by a doctor from Johns Hopkins, she is met with narrow-minded resistance from Robbie's doctor, who is prepared to take legal action to prevent Lori from removing him from the hospital.

Where to watch

Where can I watch ...First Do No Harm?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists ...First Do No Harm streaming on The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free).

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about ...First Do No Harm?

...First Do No Harm earns 4 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is ...First Do No Harm worth watching?

...First Do No Harm's Midcredits score is the 72nd percentile of all films, from 3.4K ratings across 4 sources. 65% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

72nd percentile

Better received than 72% of films

75th percentile among Drama74th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)70th
Approval (how many liked it)72nd

67 /100

70th percentile of all films

72nd percentile among Drama74th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

65% liked it

72nd percentile of all films

74th percentile among Drama74th percentile among 1990s
65% rated it 7–1035% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 6 noms overall

  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

Reach

How many have seen it

58th percentile

3.4K ratings across platforms

61st percentile among Drama53rd percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 36% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A mother fights the medical system to try an alternative diet for her epileptic son, with strong performances from the cast.

Fans praised

  • Meryl Streep's committed performance as a desperate mother
  • Seth Adkins' believable portrayal of a child with epilepsy
  • Thought-provoking critique of the medical establishment's rigidity

Detractors panned

  • One-sided propaganda against conventional medicine
  • Meryl Streep's performance feels overwrought and forgettable
  • Poor character development and TV movie clichés

What stands out

Emotional impactDivisive80

Heartbreaking and moving for fans; detractors laugh at melodrama

ActingDivisive78

Streep and Adkins praised; detractors find Streep overwrought

Plot and storyDivisive55

Inspiring true story but criticized as agenda-driven

CharactersDivisive50

Mother's determination praised, but characters called unlikeable by detractors

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 17 points higher than men.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is ...First Do No Harm like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.WarmBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its story straight with earnest emotion, attacking medical rigidity while warmly depicting family bonds.
The rideTension builds as the son's condition worsens and the mother fights the system, culminating in relief and hope.
StructureConventional chronological story from diagnosis through conflict to resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

HopefulInfuriating · 4% of films: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.Thought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer inspired by a mother's determination and angered at the medical system's resistance to alternatives.
How it ends · evidence
Happy endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% (this title) · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Institutional injustice: A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeLori battles the medical establishment's resistance to alternative treatments, seeking justice for her son.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% (this title) · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1% (this title)
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsIllness and disability · under 1% of filmsParenthood · 2% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeA mother fights for fair treatment for her epileptic son against a rigid medical system.
StanceThe film warns against unquestioning trust in doctors and advocates for patient advocacy.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Hummie Mann
SettingMidwest family fighting hospital for alternative epilepsy treatment

Content guide

Is ...First Do No Harm okay for kids?

PG-13

...First Do No Harm is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for intense emotional and physical depiction of a child's illness” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its sexual content at minimal (8/100), language at mild (22/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Moderate · 3 of 5 categories
not ranked
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (9 votes across 3 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does ...First Do No Harm have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in ...First Do No Harm?

Cast

Meryl Streep
as Lori Reimuller
Fred Ward
as Dave Reimuller
Allison Janney
as Dr. Melanie Abbasac
Seth Adkins
as Robbie Reimuller
Margo Martindale
as Marjean
Tom Butler
as Dr. Jim Peterson
Leo Burmester
as Bob Purdue
Mairon Bennett
as Lynne Reimuller
Michael Yarmush
as Mark Reimuller
Damir Andrei

Crew

More like this

What are movies like ...First Do No Harm?

Movies like ...First Do No Harm include John Q (2002), And the Band Played On (1993) and One True Thing (1998). Of the 12 closest matches, half are films about medicine, and several are films about parenthood.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its story type: medical drama. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with ...First Do No Harm?

311 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: medical drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.