Patch Adams

Starring: Robin Williams, Daniel London, Monica Potter, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bob Gunton, Irma P. Hall, Michael Jeter, Alan Tudyk
Directed by: Tom Shadyac
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Drama
1998

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Patch Adams (Robin Williams) faces great obstacles in his pursuit to become a doctor and bring humor and laughter to help his patients heal.

Review:

Tim: Patch Adams is a fascinating film. I first saw the movie soon after its release, in 1998, before I started The Movie Files. It took me 18 years to finally watch it again. On one hand, it's a remarkable movie that blends humor with emotional drama. On the other, it takes unnecessary liberties with the real Patch Adams' story. There's enough here for me to consider it a very entertaining film, but it's somewhat troubling as well.

I recognize that any movie based on a true story is never the true story. It's always a fictionalized account of real events. Some movies go to great lengths to be as true to the facts as possible. Patch Adams doesn't do that. It is a heavily fictionalized account of a real man's life. I know the changes were made for entertainment purposes, but it is hard to view this as anything but a very Hollywoodized account of a real man's life. That never sat well with me. However, we have to take the movie for what it is- it's really inspired by true events, not based on them.

The story of Patch Adams (the movie version anyway) is a very interesting one. The character starts out as a suicide risk before finding his calling in medicine. He enters medical school and faces major obstacles- he's far older than the typical student and his inability or unwillingness to conform makes him a target. He faces great personal tragedy. The whole story is a bit of a roller coaster ride, which does make this an interesting journey to go on. I liked the story and can see why people thought it would make a good film.

Robin Williams deserves great credit for this role. It certainly affords him a number of opportunities for his trademark high-energy humor. However, the role required some serious, sober scenes as well. Williams proved he could do both. I appreciated the way he toed that line was able to lean one way or the other, depending on what the scene needed. It's certainly one of his better performances. He makes you care about this character. That's essential in this film, because even during the weaker moments of the story, you never stop caring about Patch. That set the film up for success.

The supporting cast is good. I liked Monica Potter here- she gives a strong performance. Philip Seymour Hoffman was given a bit of a thankless role, yet worked wonders with it. Shockingly, he emerges as one of the more memorable aspects of the film, despite not being given much to do. He elevates every scene he's in. Bob Gunton is always good and I really liked the few scenes with Michael Jeter. As a whole, the cast is certainly a big plus.

The story touches on some interesting themes. I like the exploration of laughter in healing. There's certainly studies now that have proven the link, but it was more tenuous back then. I love underdog stories and this is a great one- Adams faced a continuous uphill battle. There's something very enjoyable about seeing someone buck convention so brazenly. It makes for good entertainment. I was surprised the first time I saw this movie when the story takes an unexpectedly tragic turn. That was jarring to watch, even on my second viewing. The film does a worthwhile job of exploring how we piece ourselves together in the wake of tragedy. This is a movie that really does touch the heart in addition to making us laugh.

Patch Adams is certainly a strong movie. The story is a memorable one. It's not exactly the kind of film you want to watch over and over, but it's entertaining and effective. This is a very good movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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