Eric’s Bad Movies: Patch Adams (1998)
There was a flurry of wrong guesses last week, but only one commenter got it right: This week’s Bad Movie at Film.com is “Patch Adams,” a wretched, manipulative sham that stands as the supreme example of Movies That Make Us Want to Smack Robin Williams. So nice guessing, whoever it was!
Here is my anecdote concerning “Patch Adams.” In early January of 1999, I went with a friend to a theater in Salt Lake City for a screening of “A Civil Action.” I wasn’t really reviewing movies yet, but I’d gotten an invitation at the newspaper I worked for, so hey, why not. However, we arrived with just moments to spare before showtime, and the theater was already packed, so we couldn’t get in. Not wanting to waste the trip, we decided to see something that was also playing at this theater … and for some reason we chose “Patch Adams.” I don’t vividly recall my reaction, but I know it was not positive. Even with my critical skills still at a rudimentary level I saw through the film’s shameless fraudulence. Watching it again last week, I hated it rather passionately. There were a few times when I was yelling and gesticulating at the TV.
As for next week’s movie, it was going to be “My Giant,” starring Billy Crystal and a very tall man. But I sat down to watch it the other night and was dismayed to learn that it’s actually not all that bad. I’m not saying it’s good, just that it’s not terrible. More like a mediocre but good-natured sitcom. I had to turn it off after a half hour or so because I couldn’t afford to waste my time watching something that wasn’t excruciating. You see what my life has become.
So you get to guess on what the replacement film for next week is. (Don’t worry, I’ve watched it, and it’s appropriately awful.) Your clues are that it was released in the mid ’80s (think ‘84-’86); it was rated PG and generally aimed at families; it starred someone who had previously starred in a cult-favorite TV show; and though it was a box office flop, I think many people will recognize the title and basic premise. You might have even seen it on video.
Guess away! And in the meantime, enjoy my assessment of “Patch Adams.”
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:51 am
I remember watching this in high school psychology, because the teacher was a senile old lady with a fondness for sap. At least I managed to get some note-taking done, and get a good laugh out of the review, 3 years later. Especially since both my parents LOVE two and a half men, and this movie.
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:32 am
Girls Just Want to Have Fun?
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:57 am
Okay, Okay, I take it all back. Yes, Roger Ebert covered this as well in “Hated, Hated, etc.” but he did not include the line:
“Replace director Tom Shadyac with Leni Riefenstahl and Patch Adams with Hitler and you’ve got Triumph of the Will, only less funny.”
Well done, well done.
How about more Tom Shadyac/Leni Riefenstahl comparisons and fewer Vietnam analogies?
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:13 am
Monster Squad?
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:02 am
having read your Film.com article, i wouldnt be surprised if you got an angry phone call from M. Night Shyamalan.
“hey Eric, how dare you worship before this Patch Adams!. you will all bow down to my (Shyammy’s) expert film making, long moody shots of trees blowing in the wind, and mind bending plot twists. What do you mean i got lucky with The 6th Sense!?. A pox on you all!”
anyway, great article again.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:54 am
My first idea when you mentioned next week’s movie was “Drop Dead Fred” but it was 1991 and PG-13, so there goes that guess.
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:41 am
Even though I have no idea if it featured a cult-favorite TV show star…. I’ll guess Howard the Duck…
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:51 am
Or maybe Leonard, Part 6 with Bill Cosby. Released in ‘87…. but that’s really close to being in the “84′-’86″ range.
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:02 am
Oh, please let it be Pee Wee’s Big Adventure!
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:52 am
I second Leonard Part 6.
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:01 am
I would say Leonard Part 6, but the Cosby Show was hardly a “cult-favorite”.
I would vote Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, but that wasn’t a bad move (was it?).
So, I’m stymied.
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:06 am
A few possibilities come to mind - though I’m not sure any of these meet all of the requirements:
Supergirl
King Solomon’s Mines
D.A.R.Y.L.
Howard the Duck
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:45 am
I HATED Patch Adams. Thanks for giving it its due.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:04 am
Mormon Princesses LOVE PATCH ADAMS!!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:15 am
I remember seeing this when I was 17-ish with my girlfriend. *SPOLIER-(although if you care about an unexpected stupid manipulative plot twist in a stupid manipulative movie, you deserve to have it spoled)* When the chick got killed by the crazy guy, my girlfriend started crying, and I remember just getting mad. I was mad that the movie was trying to make me cry, and that it was being so obvious about it. This was one of the first times I remember a movie breaking the 4th wall though its sheer arrogance that if ‘X’ happened, surely the ‘Y’ of the audience in tears would soon follow.
Yeesh.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:22 am
Howard the Duck had Lea Thompson, of both Back to the Future fame AND Caroline in the City, right? Hmm, I guess CitC wasn’t prior to Howard. I never got around to watching it, wouldn’t mind seeing a review of it. =)
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Great review. Even though I guessed wrong, I totally agree about Patch Adams being terrible. I just didn’t expect it to make a list with such awful movies like in previous weeks. I’m glad it did though.
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Why would you want to lick Robin Williams? Wouldn’t you get haur in your teeth?
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:39 pm
I can’t believe this article didn’t mention the woman who wanted to bathe in noodles! Great stuff, though.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I hated Patch Adams when it came out, which sucked, because I really wanted to like it!!! Come to think of it, I’ve never seen a really good Robin Williams movie. The closest I can come to one is “What Dreams May Come”, which is kind of trippy & interesting, but other than that, it’s just Robin Williams playing Robin Williams.
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Suskie: Good call. I’ve never actually sat through this movie but I caught some of it on TV a few years ago. I thought it looked mildly interesting until that noodle-bathing thing…I just thought that was the weirdest damn thing I’ve ever seen. Creepy on so many levels…
July 4th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Loved that review. Don’t listen to The Ides of Mark. Your Vietnam analogies are hilarious and accurate.
July 4th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
At first I thought I hated Patch Adams because I was so completely grossed out by seeing is insanely hairy backside at the very end, but later on I realized I hated it before that. The hairy butt just clinched it for me.
July 5th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Thanks for reviewing Patch Adams and exposing it for the crap that it is. I too felt anger at the movie trying to manipulate me so blatantly. Thanks goes to Eric for putting into words something I felt, but couldn’t ever find the words to express.
July 7th, 2008 at 7:54 am
I love the comments reviling Eric’s review while lauding the film:
“Eric must LIKE doctors who don’t treat their patients like human beings.”
“Eric objects to the portrayal of everyone who disagrees with Patch as evil and stupid? Doesn’t he understand most doctors back then WERE evil and stupid?”
“Eric hates laughter. That’s the only possible explanation. This film is made out of pure joy! Hating it means you HATE JOY!”
“Mocking a film I liked is the exact same thing as saying I’m a bad person, then punching me in the gut. You -jerk-, Eric! All movie reviews HAVE to be positive. You’d realize that, if you cared about the feelings of others. *SOB*”
(Okay, so I paraphrased a little. But man, I’m not far off!)