Patch Adams
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The true story of Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams, who in the 1970s found that humor is the best medicine, and was willing to do just anything to make his patients laugh—even if it meant risking his own career.
What critics thought
Critics were nearly unanimous in their disdain, finding the film's blend of lowbrow comedy and heavy sentiment manipulative rather than moving — yet audiences embraced it warmly, a gap that defines its legacy. The central tension most reviewers identified was between Robin Williams's mugging and a screenplay that stacks tragedy and uplift so mechanically it forfeits any earned emotion.
“Patch Adams made me want to spray the screen with Lysol. This movie is shameless. It's not merely a tearjerker. It extracts tears individually by liposuction, without anesthesia.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“an offensive and deeply false 'inspirational' drama”
Lisa Schwarzbaum·Entertainment Weekly
Accolades
Parents guide
- Violence
- none
- Sex
- mild
- Profanity
- mild
- Substances
- none
- Intensity
- mild
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Cast & Crew
Tom ShadyacDirector
Robin WilliamsPatch Adams
Daniel LondonTruman
Monica PotterCarin
Philip Seymour HoffmanMitch
Bob GuntonDean Walcott
Josef SommerDr. Eaton
Irma P. HallJoletta
Frances Lee McCainJudy
Harve PresnellDean Anderson
Daniella KuhnAdelane
Peter CoyoteBill Davis
James GreeneBile
Marc ShaimanComposer
Steve OedekerkWriter
Patch AdamsWriter
Phedon PapamichaelCinematographyPatch Adams
The true story of Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams, who in the 1970s found that humor is the best medicine, and was willing to do just anything to make his patients laugh—even if it meant risking his own career.
What critics thought
Critics were nearly unanimous in their disdain, finding the film's blend of lowbrow comedy and heavy sentiment manipulative rather than moving — yet audiences embraced it warmly, a gap that defines its legacy. The central tension most reviewers identified was between Robin Williams's mugging and a screenplay that stacks tragedy and uplift so mechanically it forfeits any earned emotion.
“Patch Adams made me want to spray the screen with Lysol. This movie is shameless. It's not merely a tearjerker. It extracts tears individually by liposuction, without anesthesia.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“an offensive and deeply false 'inspirational' drama”
Lisa Schwarzbaum·Entertainment Weekly
Accolades
Parents guide
- Violence
- none
- Sex
- mild
- Profanity
- mild
- Substances
- none
- Intensity
- mild
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Cast & Crew
Tom ShadyacDirectorRobin WilliamsPatch AdamsDaniel LondonTrumanMonica PotterCarinPhilip Seymour HoffmanMitchBob GuntonDean WalcottJosef SommerDr. EatonIrma P. HallJolettaFrances Lee McCainJudyHarve PresnellDean AndersonDaniella KuhnAdelanePeter CoyoteBill DavisJames GreeneBileMarc ShaimanComposerSteve OedekerkWriterPatch AdamsWriterPhedon PapamichaelCinematographyStream
Rent & Buy