History Film / PatchAdams

* AwardBaitSong: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1sYjDc8i4I "Where My Heart Will Take Me"]] ([[RefrainFromAssuming aka "Faith of the Heart"]]) by Rod Stewart, which infamously became the RealSongThemeTune of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''.

Notably the film received a fair bit of criticism from the ''real'' Dr. Adams, among many, over the film's representation of his views and philosophies. He believed [[TheThemeParkVersion it simplified all his work into "laughter is the best medicine."]] Furthermore it fabricates entire events, such as [[GenderFlip making his best friend into a woman]] [[TokenRomance to create a love interest]], and having Patch commit several felonies which, naturally, his real life counterpart never did. To make matters worse, the money promised to Adams out of the film's profits by the studio were never paid to him--this massively delayed construction of the hospital he wished to build.

* DeanBitterman: 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. Note most critics think [[StrawmanHasAPoint he was right]].

* PunchClockVillain: The other doctors are portrayed as this, [[DesignatedVillain without much “villainy” involved]].

* BlackAndWhiteMorality: The [[DesignatedVillain “villain”]] seems to have no motivation other than to enforce cruel traditions, while the charming rebel [[DesignatedHero is always portrayed in good light, even when he does highly questionable things]].

Notably the film received a fair bit of criticism from the ''real'' Dr. Adams, among many, over the film's representation of his views and philosophies. He believed it simplified all his work into "laughter is the best medicine." Furthermore it fabricates entire events, such as making his best friend into a woman to create a love interest, and having Patch commit several felonies which naturally his real life counterpart never did. To make matters worse, the money promised to Adams out of the film's profits by the studio were never paid to him--this massively delayed construction of the hospital he wished to build.

* BlackAndWhiteMorality: The villain seems to have no motivation other than to enforce cruel traditions, while the charming rebel is always portrayed in good light, even when he does highly questionable things.

* BunnyEarsLawyer: 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.
* CharacterTitle: Dr. Hunter ''"Patch" Adams''

* DeanBitterman: 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.

%%* PunchClockVillain

* StuffedIntoTheFridge: [[spoiler: 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.]]

* StrawmanPolitical: 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 [[DrJerk Dr. Jerks]] is the supreme goal of medicine.

* DrJerk: Every single one of the doctors, except Patch Adams, is cold and refers to patients by their room number or disease.

* BlackAndWhiteMorality: The villain seems to have no motivation other than to enforce traditions, while the charming rebel is always portrayed in good light, even when he does highly questionable things.

* KarmaHoudini: Let's just say Patch gets away with a lot of stuff he shouldn't.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Lots of changes were made. Most notably, the romantic love interest Carin was really a male best friend of Patch Adams [[spoiler:who was killed under similar circumstances]].

''Patch Adams'' (1998) is a VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory movie starring Creator/RobinWilliams as Hunter "Patch" Adams, a medical student who wants to treat people, not just diseases. To do this, he bucks authority, dresses up as a clown, and acts silly and (on occasion) unprofessionally. Also features Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman in a smaller role as Patch's roommate.

The movie centres largely around Adam's clashing with the old guard of medicine over how to treat patients, specifically their cold and detached bedside manner. Patch argues they need to be more involved with the person and not treat them as another statistic, whilst his superiors point out that getting emotionally involved helps neither doctor nor patient.

[[quoteright:320:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wzjlualusi4.jpg]]

* DudeNotFunny: That stunt Patch pulls to the visiting gynecologists [[spoiler:where he places a pair of giant inflatable legs by the college's door so the entrance resembles a giant vagina]] come off as not funny, just SickAndWrong to them.

'''''Patch Adams''''' (1998) is a VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory movie starring Creator/RobinWilliams as Hunter "Patch" Adams, a medical student who wants to treat people, not just diseases. To do this, he bucks authority, dresses up as a clown, and acts silly and (on occasion) unprofessionally. Also features Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman in a smaller role as Patch's roommate.

%%* TheObiWan: Mendelson

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Lots of changes were made. Most notably, the romantic love interest Carin was really a male best friend of Patch Adams [[spoiler:who died in an automobile accident, not by being murdered by a mentally ill patient as Carin was]].

* StuffedIntoTheFridge: A particularly insulting example. [[spoiler: Carin's character is based off Patch's ''male'' best friend, but the film changed his gender so they could give Patch a love interest, and then had her killed (the man she was based on was ''not'' murdered by a patient) in a way that serves to pile angst onto Patch and make him question his decisions.]]

* StuffedIntoTheFridge: [[spoiler: Carin's death serves to pile angst onto Patch.]]

The movie centres largely around Adam's clashing with the old guard of medicine over how to treat patients. Specifically their cold and detached bedside manner. Patch argues they need to be more involved with the person and not treat them as another statistic, whilst his superiors point out that getting emotionally involved helps neither doctor nor patient.

Notably the film received a fair bit of criticism from the ''real'' Dr. Adams, one of many critics, over the film's representation of his views and philosophies. He believed it simplified all his work into "laughter is the best medicine". Furthermore it fabricates entire events such as making his best friend into a woman, to create a love interest, and having Patch commit several felonies which naturally his real life counterpart never did. To make matters worse, the money promised to Adams out of the film's profits by the studio were never paid to him- this massively delayed construction of the hospital he wished to build.

** 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.

* CharacterTitle: Dr. Hunter ''Patch Adams''
* CloudCuckoolander: Patch because certainly a doctor that dresses like a clown is a weirdo.

%%* DeanBitterman
* DrivenToSuicide: Patch's attempted suicide is what kickstarts the story. [[spoiler: He attempts it again later on]].
* DrJerk: Every single one of the doctors.. except Patch Adams is cold and refers to patients by their room number.

* InformedAttribute: 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 a character how that is when he doesn't study as much as everyone, Patch just gives him a TheReasonYouSuck speech instead. This was one of the criticisms levied by the real Adams.

* LampshadeHanging: Patch's InformedAttribute about his medical knowledge is pointed out by his roommate who says "I know what you study, or should I say ''don't'' study."
%%* TheLancer: Truman

%%* SmiteMeOMightySmiter
* StuffedIntoTheFridge: [[spoiler: Carin's death serves to pile angst onto Patch. ]]
* StrawFeminist: Carin is obviously insecure about being a woman in a male-dominated profession, and refuses Patch's (platonic!) advances for fear of showing weakness and contempt for his carefree attitude.
* StrawmanPolitical: The social issue Patch is facing was not a revolutionary idea (the term "bedside manner" long predates him entering Med School), but almost all of the people opposing him act as though being apathetic {{Dr Jerk}}s is the supreme goal of medicine.
* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Lots of changes were made. Most notably, the romantic love interest Carin was really a male best friend of Patch Adams [[spoiler:who died in an automobile accident, not by being murdered by a mentally ill patient as Carin was.]]

Notably the film received a fair bit of criticism from the ''real'' Dr. Adams, one of many critics, over the film's representation of his views and philosophies. He believed it simplified all his work into "laughter is the best medicine". Furthermore it fabricates entire events such as making his best friend into a woman, to create a love interest, and having Patch commit several felonies which naturally his real life counterpart never did. [[spoiler:To make matters worse, the money promised to Adams out of the film's profits by the studio were never paid to him- this massively delayed construction of the hospital he wished to build.]]

'''''Patch Adams''''' is a VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory movie starring Creator/RobinWilliams as Hunter "Patch" Adams, a medical student who wants to treat people, not just diseases. To do this, he bucks authority, dresses up as a clown, and acts silly and (on occasion) unprofessionally. Also features Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman in a smaller role as Patch's roommate.

Notably the film received a fair bit of criticism from the ''real'' Dr. Adams, one of many critics, over the film's representation of his views and philosophies. He believed it simplified all his work into "laughter is the best medicine". Furthermore it fabricates entire events such as making his best friend into a woman, to create a love interest, and having Patch commit several felonies which naturally his real life counterpart never did.