Patch Adams

Having institutionalised himself with suicidal depression, Hunter ‘Patch’ Adams (Robin Williams) discover his real calling in life when his ability to make the other patients laugh helps lift them from their depressed state. Having left the institution and enrolled at a medical institution in the hope of becoming a doctor, he soon realises that the staid, impersonal approach of his tutors is not what he wants. Trying the patience of his superiors as he brings his own brand of anarchic humour to the hospital wards, it looks likely that he will never be allowed to qualify as a doctor and fulfil his dream.

Whilst “Patch Adams” may be based on a true story, I have no doubt in my mind that having gone though the Hollywood film machine it is one which has been dramatized using a huge amount of poetic licence in an attempt to make what is in essence an appealing drama which suffers slightly from being a little too sweet. Not that this sweetness really spoils the over all appeal of the film, as it still has enough drama about it to keep you watching whilst the visual comedy of Robin Williams will bring a smile to even the hardest of hearts.

The premise of the film as I previously said is based upon the true story of Hunter Adams who discovered that by making people laugh he could aid their recovery from illness. Tie this into the story of his struggle to not only be accepted as a recognized doctor but also his rather different form of treatment and you have an enjoyable and engaging drama which whilst not overly complex has enough about it to keep a viewer engaged in what is going on. In some ways it has a strong resemblance to the formulaic under dog story which Hollywood seem to favour, but never tries to push your buttons like many of these films do. It just seems to coast along at an enjoyable pace allowing you to become involved in what is going on and more importantly allows you to become attached to the characters. What is also good is that for a film which revolves around the world of the medical profession it never bogs you down with the complexities of the medical language leaving you to enjoy the often humorous and touching dialogue. Unsurprisingly there is a small romantic plotline to the film, which although the premise of it is by no means contrived some of the scenes do feel like the writers have pushed the boundaries of believability a little too far.

What is very apparent about the film is that it is full of humour, some from the often humorous dialogue but mostly from some wonderful visual gags. Unlike many films which rely solely on the humour “Patch Adams” manages to incorporate it without it detracting from the enjoyable story. Right from the opening section where we see Patch enter the mental institution it manages to provide some brilliant jokes, such as when Patch is being interviewed by a psychiatrist and realising that he is not being listened to just starts taking the mickey out of the nonsense questions. It is also brilliant to watch the writers use one of the patient’s illnesses as a joke without feeling like they were being derogatory to the person; in fact they turn the situation round to humiliate the medical profession. This combination of effective plot and humour really does work well and whilst at times it does feel a little sickly sweet it manages to be engaging on both fronts to keep the audience happy. It is also very apparent that the film shifts focus about halfway though with the first half focussing heavily on the comedy aspect of the film and the second dramatic. This change of focus is an effective transition which goes unnoticeable until you start looking at the film from a technical aspect.

If ever an actor was destined to play a part it is Robin Williams taking on the medical coat of Hunter Adams. In a return to his anti-establishment type of humour which he demonstrated so well in “Good Morning Vietnam”, Williams puts in one of his most enjoyable performances in years. Whilst he seems to have been give permission to ad-lib and generally go to town with the jokes, you can certainly feel that he manages to restrain himself where necessary so not to spoil the emotional feel of the film. Although at times it was hard to disassociate the actor from the character, his ability to combine humour with a thoroughly engaging dramatic performance is worth watching on its own. To be honest the film is all about Patch and so mainly focuses on his character, but supporting Williams are some brilliant performances from the likes of Daniel London as his best friend Truman Schiff and Philip Seymour Hoffman as a fellow medical student who pours scorn on Patch’s wild antics. There is also a thoroughly enjoyable but small performance from Michael Jeter as a mental patient who Patch helps conquers his fear of invisible squirrels.

When I realised the Tom Shadyac was the director on “Patch Adams” I was quite surprised as prior to this he was better known for more over the top comedies such as “Ace Ventura” and the “Nutty Professor”. It is testament to his ability as a director that he has made a film which whilst is still hugely funny manages to stay focussed on telling what is quite an emotional story. You get a real sense that both Shadyac and Williams felt very attached to the story of Hunter Adams and went that extra mile to not spoil the essence of it.

Although this is based on a true story, “Patch Adams” lacks the grit and realism of other films such as “The Pursuit of Happyness” but this is in fact not a criticism but praise as it makes for a very enjoyable film which still manages to tug at your heart strings. With a good mix of humour and plot, this film manages to captivate the audience as it involves them in the plight of Hunter ‘Patch’ Adams as he tries to achieve his dream despite personal heart ache. Praise definitely goes to Robin Williams who is at his best with the anarchic comedy but also in providing real emotion in the more serious scenes. Whilst some people may be disappointed that this is not a gritty interpretation of the story, I personally find it an enjoyable change from sometimes overly realistic dramas, one which I would completely recommend.


Certificate: 15
Duration: 111 mins
Year of Release: 1998
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Director(s): Tom Shadyac
Cast: Robin Williams, Daniel London, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Monica Potter, Bob Gunton, Josef Sommer, Harve Presnell, Michael Jeter, Harold Gould

Rating: 6/10