Dying Young

Dying Young is a 1991 movie that stars Julia Roberts, Campbell Scott, Ellen Burstyn, Colleen Dewhurst and Vincent D'Onofrio. Julia Roberts portrays a woman named Hilary who has suffered a lot of ups and downs in her life. Her boyfriend has just cheated on her so she decides that she will reluctantly go and live with her mother who is portrayed by actress Ellen Burstyn.

While looking for jobs in the newspaper, Hilary comes across a listing for a nurse. She responds to it and is given a job interview that ends with her being told to leave the premises. Eventually she is given the job to be a nurse to a 28 year old man named Victor.

Victor comes from a very well to do family and has a strained relationship with his father. He has been ill due to leukemia and is highly intelligent. He takes a liking to Hilary and she moves in with him to take care of him while he endures another round of chemotherapy.

Hilary is stunned when she sees how ill the treatments make Victor. She does not have any formal medical training so she goes and finds books about leukemia and how to help patients who are afflicted with it. She clears out all of the junk food and other bad items from the house and adds fresh fruits and vegetables. She helps to ensure that Victor is able to feel better.

As time goes by, Victor decides that they should go away together. They rent a home by the water but what Hilary does not know is that Victor is not done with his chemotherapy treatments. He has lied to her and just wants to spend time with her.

They make friends in the town and things seem great until Victor begins using morphine because he is suffering from a lot of pain. Hilary finds out about it and she calls his father to take him to get medical care. Victor refuses but in the end agrees to go with Hilary's urging.