Surgeon-in-training grasps the opportunity of a lifetime to learn from one of the most renowned surgeons in the country – who is intent on protecting his pristine reputation. Transplant played at Manchester Film Festival 2025.
Jonah Yoon (Eric Nam) is an excellent and highly-motivated surgical resident who, from a young age, knew that he wanted to specialise in heart transplants. His ambition pushes him to press for an internship with renowned surgeon Edward Harmon (Bill Camp), who has a reputation for being difficult to work with. Jonah is not afraid to be challenged and wins the coveted role.
But there’s challenged and then there’s challenged. Harmon’s public face is kind, understanding and positively avuncular but behind the scenes he is a tyrant, abusing his operating room staff and pushing the young surgeon way too early in his career, apportioning blame on Jonah for things he did not do, and blackmailing him into keeping quiet or lose his internship.
During the post-screening Q&A, director Jason Park acknowledged the inevitable comparisons between his film and Whiplash, and I don’t think that’s avoidable. Bill Camp does even bear a passing resemblance to a perhaps more portly version of J.K. Simmons. But the setting is different and brings with it its own pressures – surely trainee heart transplant surgeon is among the top stress-inducing jobs to have?
Additionally, Jonah has personal issues to deal with, which may explain his ambition and his willingness to do anything to succeed. His mother is seriously ill, and relies on him at home (his father is not around and he is an only child). There’s also the pressure to succeed which he feels from his Korean heritage, which Park leans into as well.
While the storyline and some of the themes may be familiar, the performances of Camp and Nam are what elevate Transplant. Each has no qualms about doing whatever is required to succeed, and are using each other to get there. This is K-Pop star Eric Nam’s first acting role, and he’s not half bad.
A word of warning – there is a lot of surgical imagery so if you’re not up for that, best give it a miss!
Transplant played at Manchester Film Festival (14th – 23rd March 2025).
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Surgeon-in-training grasps the opportunity of a lifetime to learn from one of the most renowned surgeons in the country – who is intent on protecting his pristine reputation. Transplant played at Manchester Film Festival 2025.
Jonah Yoon (Eric Nam) is an excellent and highly-motivated surgical resident who, from a young age, knew that he wanted to specialise in heart transplants. His ambition pushes him to press for an internship with renowned surgeon Edward Harmon (Bill Camp), who has a reputation for being difficult to work with. Jonah is not afraid to be challenged and wins the coveted role.
But there’s challenged and then there’s challenged. Harmon’s public face is kind, understanding and positively avuncular but behind the scenes he is a tyrant, abusing his operating room staff and pushing the young surgeon way too early in his career, apportioning blame on Jonah for things he did not do, and blackmailing him into keeping quiet or lose his internship.
During the post-screening Q&A, director Jason Park acknowledged the inevitable comparisons between his film and Whiplash, and I don’t think that’s avoidable. Bill Camp does even bear a passing resemblance to a perhaps more portly version of J.K. Simmons. But the setting is different and brings with it its own pressures – surely trainee heart transplant surgeon is among the top stress-inducing jobs to have?
Additionally, Jonah has personal issues to deal with, which may explain his ambition and his willingness to do anything to succeed. His mother is seriously ill, and relies on him at home (his father is not around and he is an only child). There’s also the pressure to succeed which he feels from his Korean heritage, which Park leans into as well.
While the storyline and some of the themes may be familiar, the performances of Camp and Nam are what elevate Transplant. Each has no qualms about doing whatever is required to succeed, and are using each other to get there. This is K-Pop star Eric Nam’s first acting role, and he’s not half bad.
A word of warning – there is a lot of surgical imagery so if you’re not up for that, best give it a miss!
Transplant played at Manchester Film Festival (14th – 23rd March 2025).
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