Patch Adams (1998)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Tom Shadyac

Writers (WGA):

Patch Adams (book) and
Maureen Mylander (book) ...

Release Date:

25 December 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Based On A True Story.

Plot:

A medical student in the 70's that treated patients, illegally, using humor.

Plot Keywords:

Medical | Doctor | Hospital | Student | Nurse

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 14

12:00 PM

MyNetwork

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Patch Adams
Daniel London	...	Truman
Monica Potter	...	Carin
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Mitch
Bob Gunton	...	Dean Walcott
Josef Sommer	...	Dr. Eaton
Irma P. Hall	...	Joletta
Frances Lee McCain	...	Judy
Harve Presnell	...	Dean Anderson
Daniella Kuhn	...	Adelane
Peter Coyote	...	Bill Davis
James Greene	...	Bile
Michael Jeter	...	Rudy
Harold Gould	...	Arthur Mendelson
Bruce Bohne	...	Trevor Beene

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some strong language and crude humor.

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Philippines:G | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Netherlands:AL | Norway:7 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Blue Wolf

Trivia:

The song "Faith of the Heart" performed in this film by Rod Stewart, was later used as theme song of "Enterprise" (2001).

Goofs:

Continuity: The level of the drink in Truman's glass changes between shots when he is talking to Patch.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Hunter Patch Adams: All of life is a coming home. Salesmen, secretaries, coal miners, beekeepers, sword swallowers, all of us. All the restless hearts of the world, all trying to find a way home. It's hard to describe what I felt like then. Picture yourself walking for days in the driving snow; you don't even know you're walking in circles. The heaviness of your legs in the drifts, your shouts disappearing into the wind. How small you can feel, and how far away home can be.
Hunter Patch Adams: Home. The dictionary defines it as both a place of origin and a goal or destination. And the storm? The storm was all in my mind. Or as the poet Dante put it: In the middle of the journey of my life, I found myself in a dark wood, for I had lost the right path. Eventually I would find the right path, but in the most unlikely place.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Futurama: Bendin' in the Wind (#3.13)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Bell Bottom Blues

Not-That-Sugary Look At A Good-Hearted Man

There are a lot of sugary clichés I use - in a nice way - to describe this story about a doctor with a good heart who truly believes in the healing power of laughter. Based on a real-life person (who looks a lot wackier than Robin Williams, who plays him in this movie), the story has its usual rebel fights-the- straight-laced-establishment cliché but is a warm, sentimental film that can't help but make you feel really good when it's all over. It's hardly all sugar, either, as there are not only frustrations but an immensely-shocking tragedy in here.

For a nice "family" movie, the profanity and sexual innuendos are a little much, so I don't think is one for the kids. (They wouldn't like it anyway.) Adults shouldn't mind. The language isn't that bad, anyway.

"Patch's" remedy for not only sickness but to get-the-girl is humor. It takes him awhile but he softens the hard-shell woman he's after (Monica Potter) and even the super stiff-ass roommate (Philip Seymour Hoffman) in the end. This film is tailor-made for Williams and his great sense of humor and ability to ad-lib. He has a lot of funny lines in here.

There is one little kid in here who's smile is one of the best I've ever seen on a human being, and I wish the boy had more scenes. The touches of sentimentality he brings, along with the laughter, is wonderful to see and heart- warming, to say the least. This is an inspiring story with comedy and romance and drama. That's what makes it so effective: a good combination of genres. One minute you're laughing, a few minutes later you have tears in your eyes.

A wonderful story, nicely acted and nicely told.