Patch Adams (1998)

PATCH ADAMS is just dreadful.  Another relentlessly heart-tugging 
Robin Williams love-in, this one's based on the medical school mis-
adventures of a real-life doctor whose pairing of humor with heal-
ing got him into all sorts of trouble.  (As it did the filmmakers, 
who shot this one at the University of North Carolina, where a vis-
ual gag to greet a gynecologists convention-- a pair of giant legs 
in stirrups-- was met with protests.  No surprise there...)  The 
plot's predictable at every point but one, about ninety minutes in, 
when the story takes such an utterly unpleasant (and shamelessly 
manipulative) turn that I nearly walked out.  With Daniel London, 
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bob Gunton, and Julia Roberts lookalike-
only-better Monica Potter.  Tom Shadyac (THE NUTTY PROFESSOR) di-
rects and Steve Oedekerk (ACE VENTURA: WHEN NATURE CALLS) adapted 
the script from Adams and Maureen Mylander's book "Gesundheit: Good 
Health Is a Laughing Matter."  (Rated "PG-13"/115 min.)

Grade: D
                     
Copyright 1998 Michael J. Legeros
Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros         

Originally posted to triangle.movies as MOVIE HELL: January 3, 1999