A Mistake is a 2024 New Zealand medical drama film written, directed, and produced by Christine Jeffs. Adapted from Carl Shuker’s 2019 novel of the same name, the film stars Elizabeth Banks as an eminent surgeon whose split-second judgment during a routine operation triggers far-reaching professional and personal consequences. The supporting cast includes Simon McBurney, Mickey Sumner, Rena Owen, Richard Crouchley, and Matthew Sunderland. The picture premiered in the Spotlight Narrative section of the 2024 Tribeca Festival on 7 June 2024 and entered limited U.S. release on 20 September 2024.
Premise
Veteran surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Taylor (Banks) cedes the scalpel to an inexperienced colleague during a laparoscopic procedure, resulting in the patient’s death. The ensuing inquest jeopardizes her career, strains her marriage, and forces her to confront systemic pressures inside a modern public hospital.
Cast
- Elizabeth Banks — Dr. Elizabeth Taylor
- Simon McBurney — Prof. Harrison March
- Mickey Sumner — Dr. Sarah Hart
- Rena Owen — Tessa
- Richard Crouchley — Dr. Tom Williams
- Matthew Sunderland — Owen
Production
Jeffs began developing the adaptation in 2021 after optioning Shuker’s novel; she cited her mother’s nursing background as inspiration for the project’s clinical authenticity. Principal photography took place in Auckland and Wellington from April to June 2023, with John Toon as cinematographer and Frank Ilfman composing the score, later released digitally by Intrada. Post-production was completed at Park Road Post in early 2024.
Release
- World premiere: Tribeca Festival – 7 June 2024
- New Zealand theatrical release: 18 July 2024
- United States limited release: 20 September 2024 (through IFC Films)
- The film earned US $32,811 during its limited run. Home-media and VOD distribution followed in December 2024.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, A Mistake holds a 91% approval rating based on 87 reviews, with the consensus praising Banks’s “quietly riveting” performance and Jeffs’s “surgical precision” behind the camera. Metacritic assigns a weighted average score of 78/100, indicating “generally favorable reviews.”
