Patch Adams is a 1998 semi-biographical comedy-drama film starring Robin Williams, Monica Potter, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Bob Gunton. Directed by Tom Shadyac, it is based on the life story of Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams and his book, Gesundheit: Good Health is a Laughing Matter, by Adams and Maureen Mylander. Despite being poorly received by critics[1] and Dr. Adams himself, the film was a box-office success, grossing over twice its budget in the United States alone. A suicidal Hunter "Patch" Adams (Robin Williams) commits himself into a mental institution. Once there, he finds that using humor to help his fellow patients gives him a purpose in life. Because of this he wants to become a medical doctor and two years later enrolls at the Medical …show more content…
When she tells him that her whole life, men had molested her, Patch comforts her and reassures her that she can overcome her pain to help others. Encouraged, Carin wants to help a disturbed patient, Lawrence "Larry" Silver (Douglas Roberts). Larry murders Carin then kills himself. Patch is devastated and guilt-ridden by Carin's death. He reconsiders his outlook, and questions the goodness of humanity. Standing on a cliff, he contemplates suicideand questions God about what happened. He then sees a butterfly which reminds him of Carin's telling him earlier how she always wished she was a caterpillar that could someday transform itself and fly away. The butterfly lands on his medical bag and afterward on his shirt before flying away. This appears to Patch to be Carin reincarnated and it revives his spirits, and he decides to continue his work in her honor. However he is expelled from medical school a second time for running a clinic and practicing medicine without a license. He files a grievance with the state medical board at the advice of his former medical school roommate, Mitch Roman (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Patch is able to convince the board that he did his best to help the people that came to him, and as a doctor it is his responsibility to treat the body and the spirit. The board accepts Patch's methods and decides to allow him to graduate. He receives a standing ovation from the packed hearing