Plague City: Sars in Toronto

Canadian bureaucracy comes under fire in this fictionalised account of the events of summer 2003, when Toronto suffered a crippling outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars). Following the crisis through the eyes of nurse and young mother Amy (Kari Matchett), the cautionary tale contrasts the heroic work of medical staff tackling the disease with the dangerous damage limitation policies of local government. Initially, the heart wrenching is kept to a minimum, leaving it to the chilling facts about the spread of Sars to make an impact. But as the death toll rises, the screenplay becomes increasingly melodramatic, with cheesy dialogue and wooden acting transforming the tragedy into a soap opera.