Overview
A doctor believes laughter is the best medicine, challenging the norms of healthcare with his unique approach.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- earnest
- witty
- sentimental
- feel good movie night
- medical drama viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film overly sentimental, obvious, and morally simplistic despite its accessible performances and inspirational premise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film dramatizes the life and medical philosophy of real physician Patch Adams while condensing events for a conventional feature narrative.
Patch's humor-based bedside methods are appreciated by patients and staff but opposed by medical professors and administrators.
Patch uses jokes and playful behavior while working with sick patients and navigating the pressures of medical training.
Patch's experience in a psychiatric hospital informs his determination to become a doctor and help patients in unconventional ways.
Films like Patch Adams, and why
The Doctor
shares the biographical medical setting, idealistic protagonist, and uplifting patient-centered drama
The Great Debaters
shares the true-story medical-school setting, reformist themes, and earnest inspirational tone
Awakenings
shares Robin Williams-led feel-good drama, compassionate outsider protagonist, and institutional resistance
Movie Details
- Director
- Tom Shadyac
- Release Date
- 1998-12-25
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (3537)
Cast
- Robin Williams
- Daniel London
- Monica Potter
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Bob Gunton
- Josef Sommer
- Irma P. Hall
- Frances Lee McCain
- Harve Presnell
- Daniella Kuhn
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Patch Adams about?
- An irreverent aspiring doctor turns compassion and humor into a challenge to the rigid medical establishment.
- What is Patch Adams like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Patch Adams as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Patch Adams violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Patch Adams.
- What did critics think of Patch Adams?
- Critics broadly found the film overly sentimental, obvious, and morally simplistic despite its accessible performances and inspirational premise.
- Which films are like Patch Adams?
- Films with a similar feel include The Doctor, The Great Debaters, and Awakenings.
- How long is Patch Adams?
- Patch Adams runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch Patch Adams?
- In United States, Patch Adams is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
