What Is Hippocrates About?
The premise of Hippocrates in 291 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the bustling corridors of a French teaching hospital, Benjamin Barois steps into his first medical internship with the wide‑eyed enthusiasm of a son following his father’s respected footsteps. The institutional walls echo with the relentless rhythm of alarms, chart paper, and seasoned voices, creating a world where the promise of healing collides with the stark, unforgiving reality of life on the ward. From the first day, the film immerses the viewer in a setting that feels both clinical and intimate, teasing the tension between the idealism of a newcomer and the weight of an established profession.
Abdel Rezzak, a fellow intern from Algeria, arrives as Benjamin’s unlikely counterpart, bringing a different cultural perspective and a confidence earned through his own struggles. Their partnership quickly becomes the emotional core of the story, highlighting how mentorship, rivalry, and camaraderie can shape a fledgling doctor’s path. The relationship with his father, Dr. Barois, adds another layer of expectation, as the senior physician’s reputation looms large over the young intern’s attempts to find his own voice.
The tone of the film balances the sterile precision of hospital life with moments of raw humanity, using muted lighting and a steady, observational camera style to convey both the monotony and the urgency that define the medical world. As Benjamin confronts the limits of his knowledge and the responsibility that comes with each patient, the narrative hints at internal conflicts—self‑doubt, ethical ambiguity, and the pressure to belong—without revealing the outcomes of specific cases.
Through its thoughtful portrayal of apprenticeship, cultural exchange, and the quiet heroism required to endure the daily grind, the story invites the audience to wonder how a novice doctor will reconcile his personal ambitions with the demanding, sometimes unforgiving truth of caring for others.
What Happens in Hippocrates?
The complete story of Hippocrates, from the first scene to the last, in 489 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Benjamin Barois begins his medical internship in the department run by his father, Dr. Barois. Eager and idealistic, he quickly enters the tough, unseen layer of hospital life and is soon drawn into a tense dynamic with Abdel Rezzak, a fellow intern from Algeria. The pair soon confront a hard truth: the night shift exposes limits, missteps, and the fragile line between hope and tragedy.
During a late shift, Benjamin visits the homeless patient Monsieur Lemoine, who is suffering abdominal pains. He tries to offer comfort and prescribes analgesics, but a malfunctioning device prevents him from performing an ECG. The next morning, word spreads that the patient has died, leaving Benjamin unsettled and anxious about what could have been done differently. He is summoned by the experienced physician to review the case; under pressure, he admits he could not perform the ECG, and is told to claim he did it if questioned. This moment strains his budding friendship with Abdel, especially since he told Monsieur Lemoine’s widow that Abdel had handled the care.
As the two interns juggle duties, they also treat Madame Richard(/actor/jeanne-cellard), an elderly, formerly athletic woman now battling metastatic cancer after recent surgery. The team debates her treatment and comfort—while Abdel pushes forward with a morphine pump to ease her pain, concerns grow about her appetite and overall viability. Dr. Denormandy weighs in, and a difficult choice emerges: Abdel agrees, albeit reluctantly, to remove the morphine support in a bid to balance relief with risk.
Late one night, Madame Richard loses consciousness, and the resuscitation efforts begin in earnest. When her family arrives, the interns discuss the possibility of ending her life under the Leonetti law, a debate that the family ultimately accepts. The decision triggers disciplinary action: a hearing with the senior medical staff, including the doctor and the department chief. The outcome favors Benjamin—no punishment due to age and emotional strain—while Abdel receives a formal misconduct notice that could jeopardize his chances of completing his internship and validating his Algerian qualifications.
The weight of the events drives a rift, but Benjamin, who has grown close to Abdel, feels responsible for the ordeal. After a night of drinking, he returns to the hospital and, confessing failures in care, disrupts wards and equipment before fleeing. He is later hit by a truck as he leaves the hospital grounds. The morning after, news arrives: Madame Lemoine is suing the hospital for malpractice, and the staff rally against the director while seeking Abdel’s sanction to be lifted—the effort succeeds.
In the aftermath, Benjamin recovers and learns that Abdel will be able to continue practicing. The two men reconcile, and [Abdel] moves to a different service—in this case, neurology—regaining his initial passion and determination to pursue his medical career in France. The experience leaves them with a sharper sense of duty, the fragility of life, and a renewed commitment to patient care, even in the face of systemic strain.
Hippocrates Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Benjamin begins his medical internship” to “New paths and enduring tension”. 12 events name a place, across 11 locations.
- 1
Benjamin begins his medical internship
Benjamin Barois begins his medical internship in the department run by his father. He is eager and idealistic, quickly entering the hospital's tough, unseen layer of work. He faces long hours, the pressure of the ward, and the informal codes of medical life.
When:First day Where:Hospital – Barois Department
- 2
A tense partnership forms between interns
Benjamin meets Abdel Rezzak, a fellow intern from Algeria, and their relationship quickly becomes tense. They navigate the rough realities of night shifts and competing expectations. The clash reveals the fragile line between hope and burnout.
When:Early in internship Where:Hospital ward / night shift
- 3
Late shift: homeless patient arrives
During a late shift, Benjamin visits Monsieur Lemoine, a homeless patient with abdominal pains, and tries to offer comfort while prescribing analgesics. A malfunctioning ECG device prevents him from performing the test, leaving uncertainty about the diagnosis. The event foreshadows the consequences of a missed procedure.
When:Late shift Where:Ward / Monsieur Lemoine's room
- 4
Morning reckoning: the death is discovered
The next morning the patient dies, and Benjamin is summoned to review the case. Under pressure, he admits he could not perform the ECG and is told to claim he did if questioned. He reveals to Abdel that he told Lemoine's widow that Abdel had handled the care, straining their friendship.
When:Next morning Where:Hospital ward
- 5
Treating Madame Richard and the morphine decision
Benjamin and Abdel treat Madame Richard, an elderly woman with metastatic cancer. The team debates extending treatment versus comfort. Abdel pushes to use a morphine pump to ease pain, while concerns about appetite and overall viability mount. Dr. Denormandy weighs in, and they decide to remove the morphine pump to balance relief with risk.
When:During care Where:Ward
- 6
Resuscitation and the Leonetti debate
Late one night, Madame Richard loses consciousness and resuscitation is started. When her family arrives, the interns discuss whether to end her life under the Leonetti law. The family ultimately accepts the decision, highlighting the moral weight of the moment.
When:Late night Where:Ward / Madame Richard's room
- 7
Disciplinary hearing follows
The episode triggers a disciplinary process. A hearing with senior medical staff is convened to examine the interns' actions. The outcome favors Benjamin, with no punishment due to age and emotional strain, while Abdel receives a formal misconduct notice.
When:After the hearing Where:Hospital conference room
- 8
A night of confession and chaos
Following the hearing, Benjamin drinks and returns to the hospital, confessing failures in care. He disrupts wards and equipment before fleeing the premises. The act marks a turning point in his relationship with Abdel and the hospital.
When:Night after hearing Where:Hospital corridors
- 9
Morning news: a new calamity and fight for Abdel
In the morning, news arrives that Madame Lemoine is suing the hospital for malpractice. The staff rally against the director and seek Abdel’s sanction to be lifted. Their effort succeeds.
When:Morning following chaos Where:Hospital and press area
- 10
Recovery and reconciliation
Benjamin recovers from the ordeal and learns that Abdel will be able to continue practicing. The two men reconcile, and Abdel transfers to the neurology service to pursue his career.
When:Post-incident Where:Hospital
- 11
A renewed commitment to patient care
The experience leaves them with a sharper sense of duty and the fragility of life. They renew their commitment to patient care despite systemic strain, reflecting on what happened and how to improve.
When:Ending Where:Hospital
- 12
New paths and enduring tension
Abdel moves to the neurology service and finds renewed passion for medicine, pursuing his career in France. Benjamin remains dedicated, shaped by the events and their reconciliation.
When:Aftermath Where:Neurology service (hospital) / France
Who Are the Main Characters in Hippocrates?
5 characters, among them Benjamin Barois (Vincent Lacoste), Abdel Rezzak (Reda Kateb) and Monsieur Lemoine: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Benjamin Barois (Vincent Lacoste)
Played by Vincent Lacoste
An eager and idealistic medical intern who quickly discovers the harsh realities of hospital life. He forms a tense yet pivotal partnership with Abdel, and his sense of duty is tested by a mortally consequential event. His struggles with truth, accountability, and responsibility drive the narrative arc toward growth and conflict. The late-night pressures push him toward impulsive actions that have lasting consequences.
- 🎯 Ambition
- 🤝 Friendship
- ⚖️ Ethics under pressure
-
Abdel Rezzak (Reda Kateb)
Played by Reda Kateb
A fellow intern from Algeria who is capable, driven, and deeply concerned with patient welfare. He navigates professional jeopardy and cultural tension while balancing idealism with clinical realism. His decisions frame the ethical debates of the story and test his loyalty to Benjamin. He becomes a moral compass and a casualty of institutional scrutiny, yet ultimately aims to continue his medical career in France.
- 🎓 Intern
- 🌍 Cultural tension
- 💭 Identity
- ML
Monsieur Lemoine
Played by Thierry Levaret
A homeless, elderly patient in abdominal pain whose death becomes a catalyst for crisis within the department. His case exposes gaps in care and the emotional toll on the interns. The investigation into his death drives home the fragility of life and the consequences of system failures. His widow’s grief underscores the human cost behind clinical decisions.
- 👴 Elderly patient
- 💔 Death
- 🏥 Hospital setting
- MR
Madame Richard
Played by Jeanne Cellard
An elderly woman with metastatic cancer who is navigating decision-making around comfort and treatment after recent surgery. Her case prompts debate over morphine use, patient quality of life, and the appropriateness of end-of-life care. The Leonetti law discussion and the family’s response reveal the complexities of aligning medical judgment with patient autonomy and familial wishes.
- 🎗️ Cancer patient
- 🧬 Metastasis
- 👪 Family dynamics
- DD
Dr. Denormandy
Played by Marianne Denicourt
A senior physician who weighs in on difficult cases and helps shape policy and disciplinary outcomes. She represents the experience and authority of the department as decisions about care escalate to formal reviews. Her perspective anchors the ethical and professional stakes of the interns’ actions and the hospital’s response.
- 🩺 Senior physician
- ⚖️ Policy
- 🧭 Guidance
Where and When Is Hippocrates Set?
Hippocrates is set in France (Present day). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Present day
Set in contemporary times, the story follows medical interns through late-night shifts in a busy hospital. The tempo is brisk and there is a constant tension between urgency and caution. The events reflect modern medical practice, technology limits, and legal considerations surrounding end-of-life care.
Where
France
The events unfold in a French teaching hospital, where interns navigate the demanding realities of patient care, medical ethics, and institutional pressures. The hospital setting highlights the social and administrative constraints that shape decisions made at the bedside. It serves as a pressure cooker where life-and-death choices unfold during long night shifts.
- 🏥 Hospital
- 🇫🇷 France
What Are the Themes of Hippocrates?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Ethics, Care under pressure and Friendship.
-
01
Ethics
The narrative centers on tough ethical choices, from handling a patient’s pain to deciding about end-of-life care under Leonetti law. The interns wrestle with honesty, accountability, and the line between hope and harm. Decisions made under pressure test personal integrity and professional duty. The film casts ethics as a living, often uncomfortable, part of daily medical practice.
-
02
Care under pressure
The hospital's systemic strain and imperfect tools force imperfect decisions, exposing how technology, time, and policy shape patient outcomes. Missteps become teachable moments that threaten careers and future qualifications. The interns learn that compassion must contend with risk, legality, and institutional scrutiny. The setting reveals how care quality hinges on teamwork, communication, and restraint as much as skill.
-
03
Friendship
Benjamin and Abdel's alliance evolves from camaraderie to a rueful maturity as they confront consequences together. Their bond tests cultural differences, personal loyalties, and professional ambition. The dynamic shows how mentorship and mutual support can sustain clinicians through moral distress. Ultimately, reconciliation and renewed purpose emerge from shared responsibility for their patients.
What Kind of Film Is Hippocrates?
Bittersweet in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A sobering and realistic drama that follows a young intern's difficult journey into the morally complex world of hospital life, marked by ethical quandaries, personal failure, and a bittersweet sense of earned maturity.
- contemplative
- anxious
- unsettling
- mature
- sobering
- realistic
- medical internship
- coming of age
- moral dilemma
- professional failure
Content notes: patient death, medical malpractice, end-of-life decision.
Quiz
How well do you remember Hippocrates? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch Hippocrates
Stream it on Fandango at Home Free and Hoopla, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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