Plot: What’s it about?
Hunter Adams (Robin Williams) is known as Patch by most folks and while his past has been rough, he seems to have found his purpose at last. His inspiration came from a voluntary stint in a mental institution, where he discovered he was deeply satisfied by helping others, making them feel a little better. He often did this through humor and it seemed to help his fellow patients, so he decided to make a run at the medical profession. But after his hard work lands him in medical school, he discovers a distance he dislikes, as his teachers and classmates seem so far from their patients, like they’re so high above them in life. So and a fellow classmate end up doing their usual work in school, plus spending a lot of time in hospitals, getting some real time with the patients and in truth, making a real difference. But this is against school policy and his teacher seems to despise him, so Patch is forced to choose between his love for patients and his wishes to become a real doctor, unless he can figure out some alternative.
As I am sure you know, Patch Adams has been railed by critics and despised by viewers, but is it really so bad? I think so, but as is often the case, that doesn’t mean the film isn’t worth a look, to those interested. I happen to like bad movies and this one is bad to be sure, from the overly sappy moments to the poor performances, so I always find something to laugh at here. Some of the humor works as intended, but there is also a wealth of bad moments to laugh at, so in any event, this remains a comedy, even in the more emotional sequences. The direction is weak, the writing is haphazard and predictable, and the cast is given little to work with, so despite some talented workers, they’re locked inside poor characters. I’ve seen the real Patch Adams on television and he seems much funnier than in within the picture, even with Robin Williams at the helm of the character inside the flick. I can’t recommend this movie to everyone by any means, but fans of Robin Williams, emotional train wrecks, and bad movies should check Patch Adams out. This HD-DVD release has most of the extras from the Ultimate Edition, plus enhanced video & audio, so if you must see this movie, this is the best way to check it out.
The reason this film isn’t a total bomb is the presence of Robin Williams, although even his performance isn’t enough to keep this flick above water. I think Williams is a gifted performer and he does well enough here, but the poor writing keeps him down in the end. He is able to make some scenes work and even pull some rabbits out of his hat, but he still ends up looking bad, due to the material he’s given to work with. I think he feels restrained by the emotional content and since that spreads even to the comedic moments, it can be a real downer for us viewers. But Williams provides some good scenes and I think he was the best choice for the role, though I wish he had better material to work from. You can also see Williams in such films as Good Will Hunting, Mrs. Doubtfire, Flubber, Jumanji, and Nine Months. The cast also includes Philip Seymour Hoffman (Boogie Nights, Almost Famous), Monica Potter (Head Over Heels, Along Came a Spider), Daniel London (Grownups, Famous), and Bob Gunton (Bats, Broken Arrow).
Video: How does it look?
Patch Adams is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. Universal has been inconsistent with their high definition catalog releases, but this one looks quite good. Not all scenes show off impressive detail, but most do and when compared to the DVD, image depth is much improved. This isn’t the eye popping kind of transfer we might like, but small touches are visible and overall detail is a nice step up. I also found colors to be richer and more natural, while the contrast never misses a beat. So while not a reference level transfer, the movie looks good here.
Audio: How does it sound?
This movie doesn’t have the kind of audio to show off your system with, but the included Dolby TrueHD 5.1 option does make sure it all sounds good. I noticed some minor enhancements over the standard DVD, but given the limited spectrum of the material, don’t expect the world here. The music gets some extra punch, as do a few scenes that are more active than most, but this is still a pretty basic, reserved soundtrack. At least dialogue sounds good, since that is what drives the soundtrack. This disc also includes a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 option, French and Spanish language tracks, and subtitles in English and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
As I said above, most of the supplements have been ported over, but not all. An audio commentary with director Tom Shadyac starts us off, in which he discusses various aspects of the flick, even the lesser points. He seems very open here and unafraid to talk about the film’s negative elements, which makes it an enjoyable and honest commentary session, to be sure. You can also check out The Medicinal Value of Laughter, which is an eighteen minute behind the scenes featurette and while promotional in nature, it still offers some good interviews. A selection of deleted scenes also can be seen here, which aren’t substantial by any means, but still a welcome inclusion indeed. This release also includes a brief outtakes reel and the film’s theatrical trailer. So some goodies have been left off, but most of the substantial stuff is back.
