Patch Adams

Universal Pictures | Release Date: December 25, 1998

6.6	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 121 Ratings

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User Reviews

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JHawkinsSep 4, 2005

Robin Williams singularly bastardizes the perfectly (worthwhile??) work of Patch Adams (well, maybe not...). At any rate, this film is unendurable, and appeals only to those of prurient taste.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

GilbertMulroneycakesFMJan 26, 2006

No. This is a very well made annoying film. I've often said that movies NEED to be manipulative, but they don't need to kick you in the crotch to make you cry. I'm really here to defend Robin Williams, who's a damn good No. This is a very well made annoying film. I've often said that movies NEED to be manipulative, but they don't need to kick you in the crotch to make you cry. I'm really here to defend Robin Williams, who's a damn good actor and turns out a great performance in the irritating central role of a doomed movie. Not enough to save it, because his good performance pushes with the tide instead of against it. You want a good film with Robin Williams in a serious role, rent Good Will Hunting or...there is another one. Awakenings, that's it. Or, at a push, What Dreams May Come, similarly manipulative to this film, but with imagination and life to balance it out.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

ThatoneguyMay 8, 2012

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is absolutely terrible. It has nothing to do with the actual hunter Adams, and it practically refers to him as a criminal at one point. It also says that he worked without a license at one point, which he did not. Plus they made up a child molesting and murder story just for some cheap romantic character, which was actually Adams' friend, who was a man. This movie isn't just terrible, its absolutely disgusting. Everyone who gave this movie a positive review must be getting paid for their scores.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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OmarS.Sep 4, 2005

Robin Williams is simply horrific in this leaden dud.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

FlippySuperOct 14, 2012

All idiots that say this movie is good are **** retards who shall burn in hell with no compassion or they are being paid for it. it makes no sense and it looks IMPOSSIBLE to take it seriously. its an insult to the real life men who i metAll idiots that say this movie is good are **** retards who shall burn in hell with no compassion or they are being paid for it. it makes no sense and it looks IMPOSSIBLE to take it seriously. its an insult to the real life men who i met once,he was normal,not like robin williams dirty piece of ****… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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ardania22Apr 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 movieRobin 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

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PacifistcriticJan 25, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When I watched this movie Health class, I was interested to see what it was about. I was met with a gloomy, depressing scenario of Patch arriving to a mental asylum. I was happy so far when Patch met with someone to "look beyond" just 4 fingers and that Patch helped his roommate reach the bathroom with his childlike imagination. But then, everything got running downhill when Patch forced that mental hospital doctor to let him out and told him that he sucked at his job. Patch then proceeds to claim that he is helping people, even if he is acting very arrogant. Then, when I looked on the Internet, Patch Adams was actually a real person in real life. This movie, as it turns out, was not a correct description of the real Patch Adams. Unfortunately, in the movie Patch Adams was usually portrayed as a funnyman who tries to make patients laugh rather than truly cure them of their illnesses. The other characters, such as Carin, Patch's college roommate and the Dean, feel like they are just created to make Patch the most likable with their actions against Patch(ex.ignoring Patch's assistance, tattling on Patch, and threatening to expel Patch). That includes the people who love Patch, they are usually portrayed as the "nice" people just because of their affiliation with Patch. The way how the butterfly, ALONG with the sappy music playing during that scene made it's way to Patch suddenly was also rather shallow and cheesy. It feels like the butterfly was there to make the movie so charming too. I also did not like the way the mentally ill guy was portrayed in that movie, he was treated as "psychopathic" because of the way he gave "weird looks" to Carin, before killing her and himself. The scene when Carin gets killed felt forced and contrived in order to provoke drama so that Patch could commit suicide again. I even HATED that ending when Patch exposes his nude buttocks to the audience at his graduation ceremony, and... the movie suddenly ends with a note I can't remember.

Positives:Great acting, lessons about treating patients the right way, some jokes are rather funny

Negatives:Shallow music, flat characters, does not follow Patch's true nature, some jokes are too crude to be laughable, and silly situations… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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Apostle455Aug 28, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie made me wince a good amount. Everything about this movie was just...off. Patch was always either incredibly annoying or overly smug with very little in between. All the supporting characters are one-sided and have arcs that make very little sense. Taking Patch's real life friend and making him a woman in order to throw in a contrived love subplot was incredibly disrespectful, especially considering that said friend was murdered. The scene where Patch makes fun of the disabled man near the beginning was incredibly unfunny, and watching it made me want to die. The main conflict of the movie (Patch nearly getting kicked out of school) makes zero sense. He should have been kicked out of school with how he was acting, and the fact that he stays at the university just feels forced. It's sad that Robin Williams had to be attached to this garbage.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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Fixer84Mar 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 aIt 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

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