Review: The Chaplain and the Doctor

Official Synopsis: Two unlikely allies (Betty Clark and Jessica Zitter) work to bring curiosity, connection, and compassion to a broken healthcare system, one patient at a time.

I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to Chaplains in hospitals. I didn't even realize they are mostly non-denominational and serve everyone. I just assumed, since the U.S puts such a heavy focus on Christianity that they would be too. I'm sure some are. But Betty Clark prays and shows compassion to everyone. While I came in skeptical, she easily swayed me.

Jessica Zitter, the titular doctor and director of this doc is initially dismissive of Betty. When Betty calls her out on a microaggression in the work place, Zitter at first gets angry, then realizes she was wrong and apologies. And that's one of the main points of this documentary. Acknowledging your biases, and trying to move through them. We see plenty examples of this through their interactions with patients. A black woman with sickle cell is accused of drug shopping due to her pain being so high. A Jewish woman is automatically assumed to have the "means" to get help. An insurance company is what is standing in the way of a patient getting timely care. All things we see these women try to grow in.

This is a very small scale story dealing with a very large problem. I think some will watch this and expect it to make grand statements about the broken system and how it can be fixed, but it's very focused on these two women and how they are growing in their hospital, and I think that's okay. Just making this documentary and other people seeing it can cause a ripple effect. Yes, it could've said more, and I think that's a valid complaint, but I also don't think it's a reason to dismiss this story. It's very well told. 

I liked getting to know these women, though I spent a good part of the documentary scared for Betty after she underwent a health scare. I don't know if we'll see this documentary come around again in awards season, but for now, it's showing in theaters on a limited release.

Grade: B+