I can take or leave Robin Williams most of the time but his performance in Patch Adams is warm and compelling. Patch or Hunter Adams (Robin Williams) is a man who commits himself when feeling suicidal and discovers that he can help people by making them laugh. Upon his release, he enrols for medical school where he quickly becomes frustrated at the lack of contact with the patients.
There is a great scene where he humanises a patient wonderfully by asking the doctor the patients name. The doctor is unsure but Patch's message that patients are people and not just cases resonates strongly. He quickly hooks up with Truman and Carin and breaks all the rules to spend time with the patients who all adore him. Patch decides to open his own free hospital and whilst this leads to tragedy, it also leads to many people getting treatment they could not afford.
Based on a true story, the original Patch Adams actually appears in the court room scene of the film sitting behind Robin Williams. Patch's clash with Dean Walcott is one of the highlights of the film and a power struggle ensues that lasts right to the finish.
Whilst the film is funny in places, it is also tragic in others with violence and death and extremely poignant moments when I wanted to cry (there I've said it!).The film is a real rollercoaster but is never overplayed and if you stick with it it will warm your heart.
I always like to judge a film on how engrossed I become in it and this was all engrossing, so much so that I burnt our tea. My missus was not very pleased.
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Meet Patch Adams (Award-Winner Robin Williams), a doctor who doesn't look, act or think ... more
like any doctor you've meet before. For Patch, humour is the best medicine, and he's willing to do just anything to make his patients laugh - even if it means riski...
Meet Patch Adams (Robin Williams) a doctor who doesn't look act or think like any doctor ... more
you've met before. For Patch humour is the best medicine and he's willing to do just about anything to make his patients laugh even if it means risking his o...
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Advantages: There are alot of lessons in life to be learn't from watching this film Disadvantages: That back in the 60's and early 70's Patch wasn't taken seriously
saraha007 10.09.2005 (10.09.2005)
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Review of Patch Adams (DVD)
Advantages: There are alot of lessons in life to be learn't from watching this film Disadvantages: That back in the 60's and early 70's Patch wasn't taken seriously
saraha007 10.09.2005 (10.09.2005)
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Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Patch Adams (DVD)
Feb 7th, 2009
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