Patch Adams

Name: Patch Adams
Genre: Biography, Drama, Comedy
Released: December 25, 1998
Duration: 115 min
Rating: 26
Cast: Robin Williams

1998

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 121 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	Your Score
6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 121 Ratings

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Patch Adams

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: December 25, 1998 | PG-13

Starring: Robin Williams

Summary: Robin Williams is Patch Adams - a doctor who believes in laughter as medicine and will do just about anything to make his patients laugh - even if it means risking his own career. (Universal)

Director: Tom Shadyac

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 115 min

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Critic Reviews

Peter Stack

A perfect vehicle for Robin Williams. He again plays the compassionate, manic clown that has been his main character throughout his movie career. And audiences love his wild end runs. Read full review

Empire Darren Bignell

So the prognosis is generally positive, though there may be a touch too much sugar in this motion picture panacea, which is, in places, shamelessly sentimental to an extraordinarily manipulative degree. Read full review

James Berardinelli

The kind of film that will work for an audience that's just interested in having an emotional experience (with a happy ending) without caring how obviously or clumsily they are manipulated. I find this sort of sledgehammer film making to be offensive, but there are those who enjoy it. Read full review

Roger Ebert

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. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Steve Noveck

Williams isn't really playing Adams: He's once again playing himself, and the act is getting tired. Read full review

Ray Conlogue

Patch Adams is a flawed visionary, but surely he deserves better than this crass and manipulative movie. Read full review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Oooh, this is toxic. Read full review

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User Reviews

collinproc

Mar 2, 2019

Hilarious, feel good, and sad. It has an amazing meaning. You can't go wrong with this one

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

BrianG

Nov 5, 2005

A very heartwarming movie. Not to mention funny as hell, of course, since Robbin Williams is the main actor. Ignore the ciritics on this one, afterall, it's their job to be critical.

0 of 2 users found this helpful

FadeBlack

Feb 15, 2017

What a fantastically touching and heartfelt movie. One of Robin's best. I think the negative reviews need to get a bit of what Patch Addams was "afflicted with" - some excessive happiness.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

beeanadou

Jul 9, 2018

I admire the humanitarian spirit this movie expressed and also understand it is necessary to make adaptions in order to make it more drastic,but there is a lot of over-acting, and I'm afraid it presents inaccurate images about medical schools and the affiliated hospitals.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Fixer84

Mar 31, 2023

It wasn't one of Robin Williams' best acting performances, in fact, on the whole, it is actually one of the worst. The rather poor graphic quality cannot be justified by the fact that we were in 1998, especially if only a year before a colossal of the caliber of Titanic had been produced.It wasn't one of Robin Williams' best acting performances, in fact, on the whole, it is actually one of the worst. The rather poor graphic quality cannot be justified by the fact that we were in 1998, especially if only a year before a colossal of the caliber of Titanic had been produced. Painful film to watch, not because its contents are painful, indeed, but precisely because it hurts your eyes.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ardania22

Apr 21, 2014

Robin William's funny antics and soft-spoken humanity are the only good things about this overly sappy movie. Between the flat characters, the mustache-twirling villains (the medical establishment, of all things), and the fact that the movie in no way accurately portrays the real life andRobin William's funny antics and soft-spoken humanity are the only good things about this overly sappy movie. Between the flat characters, the mustache-twirling villains (the medical establishment, of all things), and the fact that the movie in no way accurately portrays the real life and character of Patch Adams, it's a wreck.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

OmarS.

Sep 4, 2005

Robin Williams is simply horrific in this leaden dud.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

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35	#35 Most Discussed Movie of 1998
62	#62 Most Shared Movie of 1998