Patch Adams (1998)

In the 1970s, a medical student treats patients, illegally, using humor.

Director:

Tom Shadyac

Writers:

Patch Adams (book), Maureen Mylander (book),

Stars:

Robin Williams, Daniel London, Monica Potter

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robin Williams	...	Patch Adams
Daniel London	...	Truman
Monica Potter	...	Carin
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Mitch
Bob Gunton	...	Dean Walcott
Josef Sommer	...	Dr. Eaton
Irma P. Hall	...	Joletta
Frances Lee McCain	...	Judy
Harve Presnell	...	Dean Anderson
Daniella Kuhn	...	Adelane
Peter Coyote	...	Bill Davis
James Greene	...	Bile
Michael Jeter	...	Rudy
Harold Gould	...	Arthur Mendelson
Bruce Bohne	...	Trevor Beene

Storyline

Patch Adams is determined to become a medical doctor because he enjoys helping people. Unfortunately, the medical and scientific community does not appreciate his methods of healing the sick, while the actual patients, medical professors, and hospital nurses all appreciate the work *he* can do, because they are unable to do it.

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Plot Keywords:

hospital | doctor | student | medical student | nurse | 

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Taglines:

Based On A True Story.

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site at Universal

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Docteur Patch

Filming Locations:

Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£786,778 (UK) (12 March 1999)

Gross:

$135,014,968 (USA) (28 May 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Blue Wolf, Bungalow 78 Productions, Farrell/Minoff

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed partially at the University of North Carolina. Robin Williams did stand up comedy for some classes that were in session while filming.

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Goofs

Patch says that humans are the only organisms on Earth that kill their own kind. This is not the case. Chimpanzees also do this, for example.

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Quotes

Joletta: [Joletta has just met Patch] Look here, Judy, another future boss.
Hunter Patch Adams: Oh, I wouldn't look at it like that.
Joletta: You may think I'm exaggerating, but in another five years you'll be so full of yourself you'll have to hang a cup out your ass just to catch the excess.

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Connections

Referenced in Animation Lookback: The Best of Stop Motion: Ray Harryhausen 1/2 (2014)

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Soundtracks

Stand
Written by Sly Stone (as Sylvester Stewart)
Performed by Sly and the Family Stone (as Sly & The Family Stone)
Courtesy of Epic Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Drama that tried to be funny?

I think that the critics missed an important aspect of this movie, as did many viewers who have commented before me. Too many have claimed that this movie was a drama full of comedy, or a drama that was trying to be funny. Whether the critics think it achieved that goal or not, they missed an important point. The point is that Drama and Comedy are not two seperate things to be combined. A movie shouldn't have to combine the two. The two things are already combined. This movie attempted to show that there is comedy and laughter inherent in the drama of our everyday life. If we can find it, it can help us through the drama. This is the reason we cry when we are happy and we cry when we are sad. All emotions are part of something bigger and they are more similar than we think. I think that's part of what Patch Adams is trying to say.