John Monaghan Detroit Free Press Jan 5, 2023 2/4

Only inspires me to steer clear of both hospitals and any movie that casts Robin Williams as a lovable clown.

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Sean P. Means Salt Lake Tribune Jan 4, 2023 2/4

Patch Adams does serve as a platform for Williams to do what he does best: evoke laughter and wring tears. Even when the movie flatlines, Williams keeps the beat.

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Jonah Koslofsky The Spool Feb 9, 2021

Patch Adams is full of shit. I truly can't think of a better way to describe it.

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Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Dec 18, 2019 1/4

Patch Adams is offensive in the way it trots out every hoary plot device, no matter how improbable, exploitative or downright moronic.

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Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal Apr 2, 2019

Like too many of Mr. Williams's recent movies, Patch Adams wastes the genius of a peerless clown.

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Richard Corliss TIME Magazine Apr 1, 2019

Comics who want to do Hamlet often end up, as here, serving big, sticky slices of ham.

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Angie Errigo Radio Times Sep 1, 2017 3/5

The pat manipulation of emotions comes with a dangerously high level of saccharin. But anyone who's ever felt aggrieved by impersonal treatment from the medical establishment will enjoy Williams's system-bucking antics.

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Nell Minow Common Sense Media Dec 27, 2010 2/5

True-story medical tale is made shallow and sentimental.

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Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) Sep 2, 2009 2/5

Indulges to the hilt every obnoxious, hyperactive, oh-what-I-wouldn't-give-for-a-tranquilizer-gun aspect of Robin Williams' performing style.

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Joe Leydon Variety May 20, 2008

Williams pulls out all the stops in a lead role that gives him carte blanche to careen between extremes of silliness and sentimentality; he tries too hard, too obviously, much like the pic itself.

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Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Aug 18, 2007 F

Has obviously been made for an audience that has never seen a movie before.

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Derek Adams Time Out Jun 24, 2006

An overdose of sentimental claptrap, underscored by Marc Shaiman's clichd string arrangements.

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Jim Shelby Palo Alto Weekly May 20, 2003 1.5/4

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John R. McEwen Film Quips Online Feb 8, 2003 3/5

...Formulaic from the word go, with so many trite, overused devices that it could serve as a primer for 'things to avoid when making an original movie.'

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Philip Martin Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Jul 31, 2002 D

...infuriating because it divides the world into fun-loving rebels and uptight establishment-types

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Peter Stack San Francisco Chronicle Jun 18, 2002 3/4

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Peter Keough Boston Phoenix Mar 24, 2002

Watching Patch Adams is like being bedridden and suffering the further indignity of a caregiver who is self-righteous and thinks he's a comedian.

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Mary Ann Brussat Spirituality & Practice Mar 3, 2002

The true story of a Virginia medical student who breaks all the rules by daring to proclaim that the best medicine for patients is love, laughter and play.

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