Product Details

• Actors: Robin Williams, Monica Potter, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Daniel London, Bob Gunton
• Directors: Tom Shadyac
• Writers: Steve Oedekerk
• Producers: Barry Kemp, Mike Farrell, Marvin Minoff, Charles Newirth
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.0), French (Dolby Digital 5.0)
• Subtitles: English
• Dubbed: French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: June 11, 2002
• Run Time: 116 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (881 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00000IQV7
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #850 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #33 in Movies & TV > DVD > Comedy
  • #64 in Movies & TV > DVD > Drama
• Learn more about "Patch Adams - Collector's Edition" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Meet Patch Adams (Academy Award-winner Robin Williams), a doctor who doesn't look, act or think like any doctor you've met before. For Patch, humor is the best medicine, and he's willing to do just about anything to make his patients laugh - even if it means risking his own career. Based on a true story, Patch Adams combines sidesplitting humor with an inspiring story that transcends the traditional comedy.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Meet a doctor who doesn't look, act, or think like a doctor!!! February 1, 2006

By Stephen Pletko

Format:DVD

+++++

This movie is based on the book "Gesundheit: Good Health is a Laughing Matter" by Hunter Doherty Adams with Maureen Mylander.

Mike Farrell of "M*A*S*H" fame was one of the producers of this movie.

This movie is also based on the true story of Hunter "Patch" Adams.

At the movie's beginning we are taken to the psychiatric ward of a hospital in 1969. We discover here how Hunter Adams (Robin Williams) gets his unique nickname of "Patch" and why he decides to become a medical doctor.

Two years later he goes to medical school where he encounters, among other things, a snobby roommate named Mitch (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a very traditional medical school dean (Bob Gunton), meets a fellow medical student named Truman (Daniel London) who becomes his good friend, and as well meets a stand-offish female medical student Corinne (Monica Potter) who eventually sees his point of view with respect to medicine.

Patch's antics at the hospital where he learns to become a doctor are hilarious. (These antics almost get him kicked out of medical school.) But there is a method to his madness as he wants to humanize medicine. His underlying philosophy is:

"A doctor's mission should be not just to prevent death but also to improve the quality of life [of patients]."

He eventually has a brainstorm of building a free clinic called the "Gesundheit Institute" and to get started he starts a free clinic while still attending medical school.

A tragedy occurs but Patch is able to overcome it.

The movie ends by giving the viewer the following information:

"During the next twelve years, Patch Adams opened a home-based family medical practice and treated more than 15,000 people without payment, malpractice insurance, or formal facilities...construction of the Gesundheit Hospital is currently underway. To date [1998], a waiting list of over 1000 physicians have offered to leave their current practice and join Patch's cause."

All the acting is good but Robin Williams as Patch gives an interesting performance. Even though he delivers sidesplitting humor, I felt that it wasn't over-the-top and is balanced quite well with the inspiring, dramatic, and true story. I was also surprised by Daniel London's excellent performance as Truman, Patch's sidekick. Monica Potter's Corinne character is somewhat one-dimensional but she makes the best of it. Philip S. Hoffman also does a good job as the serious medical student named Mitch.

I also enjoyed the background music. It adds to each scene of the movie.

Some people (including Roger Ebert) don't seem to like this movie. However, according to Amazon's "Theatrical Release Information" (see above), this movie whose budget estimate was $50 million has taken in $194 million worldwide garnering a profit of almost $145 million. So the big question is, "Why don't some people not like this movie." The main reason, I think, is that (believe-it-or-not) some people are satisfied with the traditional medical system as it is today and don't like anything (such as this movie) that criticizes it. Thus, I would not recommend this movie to such traditionalists.

Finally, the DVD (collector's edition) has excellent picture and sound quality. There are a few extras, all of them interesting.

In conclusion, this is an inspiring movie based on a true story that effectively displays Robin Williams' comic and dramatic talents. It is not to be missed!!

(1998; 1 hr,50 min; widescreen)

+++++ Read more ›

46 of 55 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gain inspiration & wisdom while you're entertained! February 5, 2002

By Groovy Vegan VINE VOICE

Format:VHS Tape

Robin Williams' portrayal of Dr. Patch Adams' medical school adventures was both entertaining and inspiring. Although Williams' comic genius shined through in his physical humor of clowning around (e.g. entertaining sick children by dancing with bedpans on his feet, an enema bulb on his nose and an IV stand as a dance partner) as well as quick verbal banter, the comedy is only part of Williams' acting repertoire and movie's appeal. Having seen Robin Williams mostly in interviews where he seemed to be spending every second trying to be funny, I was amazed at his ability to not only be serious, but to convincingly portray a spectrum of non-comic emotions/conditions: shock, grief, guilt, frustration, anger. All was not fun and games in the medical school education of Patch Adams, as he dealt with personal issues, personality clashes and the difficulties of trying change the institution of medicine without getting thrown out of medical school. I also enjoyed the work of the supporting cast of fellow medical students, instructors, administrators, nurses and patients. One especially amusing character was Patch Adams' pompous, roommate Mitch, played with a straight face by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Seeing Adams' effect on the people he knew over time was enjoyable and heartwarming, yet realistic: some warmed up immediately, some over time, and a few, unfortunately, not at all.
But what makes this movie 5 stars is that combined with the good acting and entertainment value, many life's lessons are portrayed. Here are just a few of many. The value of:
* treating patients (and all people) as individuals with feelings, dreams, interests and talents to improve their quality of life, regardless of whether one can cure a disease.
* patience, kindness, persistence, humor and imagination in dealing with personality conflict.
* having a dream, believing in yourself, and selling that vision to others who can help you manifest it.
* having the persistence to deal with obstacles that get in the way of manifesting one's dream.
* having the courage to speak and act out against injustice, even at considerable personal risk.
It's well worth watching this movie to gain wisdom from Patch Adams' life while being entertained by Robin Williams and a host of fine actors. However, those a expecting fast paced movie with lots of adventures and subplots may be disappointed. Read more ›

32 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie December 16, 1999

By A Customer

Format:VHS Tape

Robin Williams gives an outstanding performance. It's touching, funny, and a whole lot cleaner than most movies today. Someone said that this movie showed people being murdered, blaspheming God, and showed you how to have sex. None of this is true. A girl *is* murdered, but you don't see anything at all and don't even know that until way after it happens. She is murdered by a severely insecure man who then kills himself, but you don't see this or even see their bodies afterwards. God is not really blasphemed, but there is one part where Patch sits on a cliff and talks to God about why things had to happen that way, and he considers commiting suicide. But this doesn't happen. And for the life of me I have no idea where they showed or even mentioned sex! The absolute closest thing to that would be at the end when he graduates from medical school... I don't want to give it away because it is hilarious, but don't worry, it's not dirty or nasty. I wouldn't recommend you watch it in front of very very sensitive children, because naturally since it is set in hospital life, there are a couple deaths and serious moments. But there's nothing really bad about this movie. Anyway, after setting that straight: This is one of the greatest movies of all time. It's not one you can watch over and over and over again, as I like to do with most movies, but set viewings several months apart and you will enjoy this movie a lot. ;) It is a life-changing experience.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The point was to have a romantic love interest. Poetic license August 12, 2014

By Lisa

Format:Amazon Instant Video

I've seen this movie a couple times and I've been reading the one star reviews and now here's my two cents.

First, one poster said that the woman that played Robin's romantic lead never existed but that someone the real Patch Adams knew was murdered. I say so what that she didn't exist! The real Patch felt close to someone and he lost that person to show that anyone can feel loss. The point was to have a romantic love interest. Poetic license. We find that in lots of movies and no one has a problem with it do they!

One poster said the real Patch Adams hated the movie and that he refused to accept the check. Has he ever sued because it's an exaggeration of him? No, so what's the problem! Lots of real people are exaggerated. The point of Patch is to show that there are some doctors who DO care about patients as people.

One poster criticized the character of Patch as acting like an idiot and that he really didn't behave that way. I again, say SO WHAT! What's wrong with portraying a doctor who has a bit of unconventional humor as a character. It breaks up the monotany of serious characters. The exaggerated non existent behavior is to prove a point that humor CAN be used. Maybe if real doctors did act the way Patch's exaggerated character did, we'd like doctors a little better. Did the real Patch Adams have a problem with it? No doubt. Robin Williams was both serious and frenetic demonstrating that he was able to be BOTH at the same time in the same movie.

Did the real Patch Adams never run his clinic without a license that one poster was very adament on pointing out? I believe it. But the point is, Patch DID have one. Who cares if what went on there could've been fiction. Who cares if he never stole anything from the hospital to stock it. What's wrong with a little poetic justice! We certainly don't mind watching action movies with the crap they put in it and accept it as 'real'! No explosians, no romanticism about guns, no bed hopping just to be in there. But of course few would recognize that so used to the action movie violence for the sake of violence people like to watch and cheer.

I really could care less how much is true, how much is made up in this movie. It was a way for Robin Williams to show what he could do. Be funny, be serious, be a "jackass" as one poster growled about. How many characters in movies today CAN be more than one dimensional! Few! Robin could get away with it. That's talent.

Those that have been treated by the real Patch Adams know who he is and how he works. The movie got his name out. If he's got such a problem with how he's portrayed how come he hasn't sued anyone since the movie came out for libel? No one that I know of. What his patients care about is how he treats them. Do people honestly think that his patients said "Gee, Dr. Adams, you're not like the movie at all!" I seriously doubt they were that petty.

I'm sure the movie did justice about what matters. Patch Adam's dedication to medicine and that he worked hard to get where he is.

Robin Williams, sadly, has passed away which I'm sure people have read about by now. Try appreciating his work instead of tearing it apart, as I doubt his critics could do much better.

I rate this movie a five star because I thought it was good obviously, it showed that there ARE doctors out there that do care instead of being in it soley for money, and to be honest a little exaggerated buffoonery is a heck of a lot better to watch that car explosions, the endless boring zombie movies that are nothing but ridiculous blood letting, and characters who can't get through a scene without shooting someone or going to bed with their romantic leads.

I'd rather watch Patch Adams than the daily news.

RIP Robin Williams. Read more ›