Laughter truly is the best medicine.
Patch Adams is a Very Loosely Based on a True Story 1998 comedy-drama film directed by Tom Shadyac and starring Robin Williams as Hunter "Patch" Adams, a medical student who wants to treat people, not just diseases. To do this, he bucks authority, dresses as a clown, and acts in a silly and (occasionally) unprofessional manner. The film's supporting cast includes Monica Potter, Daniel London, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bob Gunton, Irma P. Hall, Josef Sommer, Peter Coyote, and Michael Jeter.
The movie centers largely around Patch's clashing with the old guard at the hospital over how to treat patients, specifically their cold and detached bedside manner. Patch argues they need to be more involved with the patients and not treat them as just another statistic, while his superiors argue that getting emotionally involved helps neither doctor nor patient.
This film contains examples of:
- Age Lift: While the real Hunter Adams went to medical school at the usual age, in the film he doesn't start until much later in his life.
- Alone with the Psycho:
- In the beginning of the film, Patch is forced to room with a man who goes apeshit on a regular basis in reaction to imaginary squirrels on the ground. Patch is, to say the least, uncomfortable with the arrangement, but helping his roommate "fight off" the squirrels long enough to reach the restroom inspires him to devote his life to helping people.
- Carin's visit to Larry Silver's house. It doesn't end well for either of them.
- Artistic License – Biology: During his Smite Me, O Mighty Smiter moment, Patch tells Truman that man is the only animal who kills its own kind. The praying mantisnote , black widow spidernote , betta fish, chimpanzee, dolphin, lion, rabbit, deer, and the vast majority of the animal kingdom would all like a word with you, Mr. Adams. As pointed out in the Ape Shall Never Kill Ape page, humans are far from unique among animals at killing their own kind. They are, however, unique in being the only ones who even sometimes feel bad about it, at least as far as we know. However, it is true that one difference with many other species is the fact that so far only humans have proven to be able to kill for reasons unrelated to feeding and reproduction.
- Award-Bait Song: "Where My Heart Will Take Me"
by Rod Stewart, which infamously became the theme song of Star Trek: Enterprise. - Black-and-White Morality: The antagonist seems to have no motivation other than to enforce cruel traditions, while the charming rebel is always portrayed in good light.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Patch does numerous "funny" things at the hospital, annoying Dean Walcott, but Patch's grades are among the highest in the class. Which is even stranger considering that he never studies or is shown on-camera utilizing medical knowledge.
- Character Title: Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams.
- Cloud Cuckoolander: Patch, because certainly a doctor that dresses like a clown is a weirdo.
- Collateral Angst: Carin was Patch's love interest, and then is killed in a way that serves to pile angst onto Patch and make him question his decisions.
- Comedy as a Weapon: Patch believes in helping patients through humor and laughter.
- Dean Bitterman: Dean Walcott twice attempts to have Patch dismissed from the school despite his high grades, believing his methods demean the doctor-patient relationship and undermine the dignity of the medical profession.
- Driven to Suicide: Patch's attempted suicide is what kickstarts the story. He nearly attempts it again later on.
- Dr. Jerk: Every single one of the doctors, except Patch Adams, is cold and refers to patients by their room number or disease and even in one scene discuss amputating a patient's leg in a very casual way while the poor patient is lying right next to them.
- Dude, Not Funny!: That stunt Patch pulls to the visiting gynecologists where he places a pair of giant inflatable legs by the college's door so the entrance resembles a giant vagina comes off as not funny, just Sick and Wrong to them.
- Gender Flip: The person Carin is based on was a man in real life.
- Great Accomplishment, Weak Credibility: Patch doesn't just do well in his exams, but surpasses his roommate Mitch. As Mitch sees Patch as a buffoon who treats medicine like a joke and has never seen him do any serious studying, he accuses Patch of cheating.
- Heel–Face Turn: Mitch finally softens after Patch's methods help one of Mitch's patients, and advises Patch on how to handle his upcoming medical board hearing. When Patch is allowed to continue his medical training, Mitch looks genuinely pleased.
- Humans Are Bastards: Patch notes after Carin's murder that humans are the only species that actively hunts and kills its own species (which is not true).
- Idiot Ball: Carin answers the phone and hears an obviously insane man who wants "somebody to talk to." So naturally, she goes to his house alone. It doesn't go well.
- Informed Attribute: Patch's medical knowledge. The audience never sees him study or actually tend to patients, but is just told his grades are among the highest in his class, and when challenged by his roommate to explain how that is when he doesn't study as much as everyone else, Patch just gives him a small "The Reason You Suck" Speech instead to tell him "You're just still young and believe being a jerk is the way" and leaves. This was one of the criticisms levied by the real Adams.
- In Your Nature to Destroy Yourselves: See Humans Are Bastards above.
- Jerkass: Patch is this in the eyes of the Dean and initially to Carin. Some of his antics, such as the gynecologist setup, could be construed more as this than the opposite intention of being humorous.
- Karma Houdini: Let's just say Patch gets away with a lot of stuff he shouldn't. Namely, practicing medicine without a license and stealing from a hospital.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: When Mitch encounters an elderly patient who refuses to eat, he realizes the problem is beyond his book knowledge and humbly asks for Patch's assistance.
- Kōan: "If you focus on the problem, you can't see the solution!"
- Lampshade Hanging: Patch's Informed Attribute about his medical knowledge is pointed out by his roommate, who says "I know what you study, or should I say don't study."
- The Lancer: Patch's friend and fellow student Truman buys in to his ideas and becomes his sidekick at his pseudo-clinic ranch.
- Murder-Suicide: After getting Carin to come to his house alone, Larry Silver shoots her and then turns the gun on himself.
- Rape as Backstory: Carin was apparently molested as a child.
- Reality Is Unrealistic: In a film that takes a lot of liberties with the actual story behind it, one of the few things it got right is that hospitals & doctors often did not have good bedside manners during the time period. note
- Real Tragedy, Fictional Victim: Carin was a complete invention of the film, as was her murder by a patient of Adams's. A close friend of Adams was murdered under similar circumstances, but notably, they were a ''male'' friend of his.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Patch is on the receiving end of one from his roommate Mitch.Patch: You told Walcott I cheated. I know you did it, just tell me why.
Mitch: Look, cut the crap, Hunter. I live with you, I know how much you study, or should I say don't study. And you do better than me? Give me a break.
Patch: You arrogant, pompous prick! Who appointed you custodian in medical profession? Is it because your father was a doctor, and his father was a doctor? Is it some sort of genetic thing?
Mitch: You're damn right.
Patch: Really?
Mitch: You know, I grew up with it. I know what it takes to look in the eyes of dying people day after day after day and then come home for dinner at night. I know what it takes. You don't have it.
Patch: Oh, really? And you do? If you don't like me, just say it.
Mitch: I don't like you!
Patch: Why don't you like me? You're a prick, and I like you.
Mitch: Because you make my effort a joke! I want to be a doctor! This isn't a game to me! This isn't play time! This is serious business! I have it in me to be a great doctor! But in order to do that, I have to sacrifice in order to be better.
Patch: Better? Better than me?
Mitch: I will save lives that could have otherwise not been saved. Now, I can be like you, and go around laughing and have a good time, ha-ha, but I prefer to learn. Because the more I learn, the more likely I will have the right answer at the crucial moment and save a life. And you say I'm a prick? You say I'm a prick? You know, maybe I am. But you ask the average person when death comes knocking at their door, whether they'll want a prick on their side, or some kindergarten teacher who's gonna kiss their ass! Because when that day comes, I'll want the prick, and so will you. - Reasonable Authority Figure: Dean Anderson, the head of the medical school, is more tolerant of Patch's antics than Wolcott. He also takes the time to gently tell Patch about Carin's death.
- Smite Me, O Mighty Smiter: After Carin's death, Patch returns to the cliff overlooking his land, rails at God's apparent apathy towards human suffering and lack of compassion for each other, and considers jumping off the edge before spotting a butterfly, recalling Carin's story about how caterpillars get a second chance.
- Straw Feminist: Carin is obviously insecure about being a woman in a male-dominated profession, and refuses Patch's (platonic!) advances out of fear of showing weakness, and contempt for his carefree attitude.
- Strawman Political: The social issue Patch is facing was not a revolutionary idea (the term "bedside manner" long predates him entering medical school), but almost all of the people opposing him act as though being apathetic Dr Jerks is the supreme goal of medicine.
- "Success Through Cheating" Accusation: Mitch accuses Patch of cheating when the former does better than him in exams despite his silly and irreverent approach to schoolwork.
- Too Dumb to Live: Carin dies by going to an obviously unstable patient's house alone, without bothering to call the police or tell anyone to come with them as support, and gets shot to death. While what happens is quite extreme, it is written in any medical book regarding general care that to help people doesn't mean to systematically put yourself in danger. There are even chapters in which it is explained when and how it is better to go into a patient's house and how to make sure to be able to escape, in case the situation gets dangerous. Downplayed because Carin was not a full, certified doctor yet so they may have made this mistake out of inexperience instead of stupidity.
- Very Loosely Based on a True Story: Lots of changes were made. Most notably, the romantic love interest Carin was really a male friend of Patch Adams who was killed under similar circumstances, though earlier than the film depicts.