A very funny film, at least for the first half. Then it goes to a drama and is only mediocre. Patch Adams has its moments. Then, it does not have any good moments. This is not something you see everyday in Hollywood. Some movies flip-flop between comedy and drama or horror throughout the film, but Patch Adams does not do that. It actually changes around the midway point of the film. The first half of the film is hilarious, and Robin Williams was delivering a great comedic performance after his mediocre What Dreams May Come. But, then things go sour.
As said before, Robin Williams is great as a doctor who wants to help patients more then medically. He is great, at least, humorously. Then, when things "go drama" Williams starts to disappoint. This part of the film just was not for him. In Good Will Hunting, he showed he could be good in a drama. At least in a supporting role. In Patch Adams, he falters. This role should have gone to someone who could handle both clever humor and drama.
Monica Potter, who looks exactly like Julia Roberts, delivers one of the only straight through performances. She does nothing outstanding, but is good in her supporting role. She is there for some humor and shines as the only actor to stand out during Patch Adams' drama phase.
Daniel London plays Patch's sidekick and is average. He really does nothing to stand out in the film. The rest of the cast is basically there to set up Williams' humor.
The main theme throughout the film is, as Patch puts it, "You treat a disease, you win you lose….You treat a patient, I guarantee you'll win." The humor that starts off the first half of the film is hilarious. From Williams' plain out humor to the gynecologist convention, the humor is fast and furious. This comes in complete contrast to the second half of the film. When the drama half of the film starts, it is sluggish and not as fast paced as the first half of the film.
Williams does have some good parts when doing his drama. But, he does not lead the way in the film. Monica Potter's part is extremely underwritten because she is the only one to stand out during the drama part of the film. The sluggish pace is the nail in the coffin for this film, though. If the humor in the first half was not as quick, the sluggishness of the second half of the film would have been acceptable. However, the sharp contrast is detectable to everyone and it will become hard to concentrate on the film. The only time that the screen seems to light up during Patch Adams' drama is when Monica Potter and Robin Williams are on the screen together. Potter is basically unheard of in Hollywood, but this role should bring her other roles. She seems to bring out the best in Williams' acting and is the saving grace for Patch Adams.
I had big doubts for Patch Adams heading down the homestretch. Then came the ending. The ending was great. You might perceive it as corny and cliché but for some reason, it caught my attention. Monica's death (sorry for spoiling it) is truly surprising and Williams' best dramatic acting comes during his appearance before the board.
Overall, Patch Adams is good, depending on whether you like drama or comedy. I would like to give it a great rating, but it never decides what its main objective is. If you like comedy, maybe you should leave after the first hour. But, it is a decent film and I would recommend for those looking for an "enjoyable' film.
Rating: 2 1/2 stars out of 4 stars
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