Patch Adams is a feel-good movie with nice intentions but somehow the message got muddled. Robin Williams really plays well as an outrageous character and as a person who cares a lot. The film uses every sappy and cliched moments for the audience to like it. However, I'm not sure which message the movie wants to point out: laughter is the best medicine or doctors must care for their patients. Robin Williams displays the former message pretty well. But doctors aren't all that cold and as in the case of Patch's roommate, we do know he cares for his patients. In a scene where gynecologists are visiting the hospital, we see Patch has setup a mock of legs where the middle area is the door and watching the doctors enter the hospital is like that famous scene in Look Who's Talking. It was funny, but I realize also that I wouldn't want that joke played on me. In the generally panned "courtroom" scene, we see Patch making a speech where he is being tried for operating a clinic without a license. He talked his way about improving the quality of life for the patients while skirting the issue that he was illegally operating a clinic. From some of the comments here in IMDB, I think the problem with Patch's character was that his way (supposedly laughter is best medicine) is put too much like a gospel. What we mostly want is that there are people who care for us (much like what William Hurt's character in The Doctor wanted) and treat us well. We don't really care about any dumb jokes, we just want to be happy and cared for. The less fortunate ones like the kids in chemotherapy would benefit more from Patch's clownish ways of entertainment. There's nothing in this movie relating to Make a Wish Foundation, so I wonder why the hell the old woman in the movie must wallow in noodles just so she will eat. Although you could fault the movie for its overly constructed plot, you'll still end up enjoying it. You just wish for less bias in the story. The verdict: 3.5 of 5 stars.
Review of Patch Adams
