Jun 09, 2001 08:42 PM
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Movies and television as a whole, seems to be veering towards a depressive void, rather than entertaining.
Maybe this is a personal view rather than general consensus, but all you need to do is look at the ratings for shows like Eastenders and you may agree I have a slight argument here.
Patch Adams sums up the entire state of the Hierarchy of the old school tie attitude, and how god like syndrome can easily creep into your life.
For those who have never seen the film, here is a brief insight.
Hunter “Patch” Adams is a true story based on his own life.
Patch, as he prefers to be called, submits himself to a mental institution, after attempting to take his own life. Suffering from acute mental depression, he soon warms to the patients in the hospital, and realises what is missing from his life, Laughter!
After watching the feeble attempts of the experts, he realises that if you make people laugh, they forget about so many things, like their suffering and their anxiety, and tend to relate better to each other.
Against the senior medical chappies advice, Patch signs himself out and goes in search of medical studies. At the first lecture, patch finds himself staring into the eyes of a dictatorship, with Dean Walcott, and from the very beginning, this will be a battle of wits.
His room mate is also of the old school tie brigade, and hates the fact that patch does not need to study, resulting in him reporting old patch for cheating.
Dean Walcott tries to expel Patch for interfering with the running of the hospital, and write in his notes that Patch is suffering from “excessive Happiness”, good lord, we cant have that now can we.
In the mean time patch has been sneaking into the hospital and cheering up the kids suffering from cancer and the likes. He has a growing respect from all of the nurses and most of his students.
The film then curtails into a ding-dong battle between himself and Dean Walcott, which reaches a dramatic climax, which I will not tell you about.
Now Patch, played by Robin Williams, as I said earlier was a real story, or just about, and like life there are ups and downs. This film will bring a tear to the eye of your average football hooligan, let alone a couple snuggled up in front of the fire with bottle wine, box of maltesers and some extra hot tortilla chips (with dip).
There are also some very funny bits, especially when there is a visit of gynaecologists and patch has to arrange the welcome for them. I will not give it away, but those who have seen it will be chuckling now.
Patch started a small “care house” rather than a surgery whilst he was studying, and anyone who couldn’t afford medical practice, or was just feeling down, would come along and be healed by laughter, mirth and merriment. A thing missing from today’s medical practice, more due to financial restraints, long hours and poor working conditions.
This hospice, is going strong, and is now called the Gesundheit institute, and at last count had a waiting list of 1000 doctors wanting to work there, a tribute to the will and belief, of one man and a team of loyal friends who were there to help him.
THE MEANING OF LIFE
A bit dramatic perhaps, but think.
How many times do people do work willingly when they are happy?
How do you make children clean their teeth, rooms, put their toys away and learn?
By making it fun, and joining in.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be happy? I don’t mean grin like Cheshire cats at everyone, I mean have that inner glow that patch obviously had, and that belief to do more for others.
Quite a concept, but watch the film and you will know what I mean.
Web address for the Gesundheit Institute is https://patchadams.org
STARRING;
Robin Williams: Good Will Hunting, Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society
Bob Gunton; The Shawshank Redemption, The Perfect Storm, Bats
Phillip Seymour Hoffman; Twister, Almost Famous, The Talented Mr Ripley
Monica Potter: Con Air, Along Came a Spider, Heaven or Vegas
Directed By
Tom Shadyac
Year of release 1998
