Based upon a true story, exposes us to a maverick medical student(Robin Williams, as 'Patch' Adams), whose preliminary doctoring methods strongly clashed with those of the traditional medical establishment, in that he believed that a doctor's role, in addition to trying to treat a medical condition, included making the hospital patient feel better during their medical stay by any means possible, including clowning by the doctor, which the medical establishment eschewed. Consequently, although he was among the best, academically, Patch was dismissed as a student several times by Dean Wolcott, being narrowly reinstated by the higher ranking Dean Anderson, mainly based upon his grades. But, Dean Anderson concurred with his last dismissal. Then, it was up to an appeal to the State Medical Board to save his potential career as a doctor. This public trial, with hospital doctors and students attending, constitutes most of the finale. In addition to his very questionable shenanigans in the hospital, he had the gall to establish a clinic in a sylvan environment, run as a revolving commune, in which even patients lacking medical insurance were accepted for as long as they wished to stay, to help with chores, if possible, and to interact with other patients, possibly benefiting each other. This clinic, humorously called the Gesundheit Institute, still exists, in rural West Virginia, and still is run by aging Hunter 'Patch' Adams: a man with a 19th century handlebar mustache, who still rails against capitalism, favoring communalism, as exemplified by his institute.
Patch very much reminds us of Jack Nicholson's character as a maverick patient in a psychiatric ward, in 1975's award-winning "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest". Speaking of psychiatric wards, Patch spends the first part of the film in one, due to several suicide attempts. We aren't told what he was so depressed about. He found that the doctor's methods were no help to him, but that one patient inspired him to try to help people by becoming a doctor, himself. Hence, his later belief that patients should try to help each other, instead of relying on just doctors. Ironically, in real life, Robin Williams would have frequent problems with depression, alcohol, and drugs, despite being regarded as a top comedian, and would die of suicide, at age 64. The wide media coverage of his death would trigger a 10% rise in the suicide rates in the US, Canada, and even Australia, in the months following his death!. These surpluses were composed mainly of middle-aged men, rather like Robin.
I feel that the film goes overboard in portraying Patch as a clown, as does the real Patch Adams, who hates the film's portrayal of him, although choosing Robin to represent him. We get a brief look at the real Hunter Adams in the Special Features of the DVD, where he is more positive about the film. On the other hand, the emphasis on sometimes extreme clowning measures taken by Patch was necessary to provide a sufficiently interesting film, even for kids.
Yes, revolutionary innovators are often a major pain to established bureaucracies, but they are sometimes necessary to improve things.
Patch very much reminds us of Jack Nicholson's character as a maverick patient in a psychiatric ward, in 1975's award-winning "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest". Speaking of psychiatric wards, Patch spends the first part of the film in one, due to several suicide attempts. We aren't told what he was so depressed about. He found that the doctor's methods were no help to him, but that one patient inspired him to try to help people by becoming a doctor, himself. Hence, his later belief that patients should try to help each other, instead of relying on just doctors. Ironically, in real life, Robin Williams would have frequent problems with depression, alcohol, and drugs, despite being regarded as a top comedian, and would die of suicide, at age 64. The wide media coverage of his death would trigger a 10% rise in the suicide rates in the US, Canada, and even Australia, in the months following his death!. These surpluses were composed mainly of middle-aged men, rather like Robin.
I feel that the film goes overboard in portraying Patch as a clown, as does the real Patch Adams, who hates the film's portrayal of him, although choosing Robin to represent him. We get a brief look at the real Hunter Adams in the Special Features of the DVD, where he is more positive about the film. On the other hand, the emphasis on sometimes extreme clowning measures taken by Patch was necessary to provide a sufficiently interesting film, even for kids.
Yes, revolutionary innovators are often a major pain to established bureaucracies, but they are sometimes necessary to improve things.