“Patch Adams” is one of the most irritating films I’ve seen in a long time. It claims to be based on the ‘true’ story of Doctor Hunter ‘Patch’ Adams but when any level thought is applied, it becomes increasingly clear that is a bunch of lies. This film should be ashamed of itself.

In this film, Robin Williams (“Flubber”, “Good Will Hunting”) stars as Patch Adams as we see him going from a self-committed, suicidal mental patient to a rule-breaking medical student. His unorthodox behaviour annoys some of his teachers and some of his fellow students, including a snobby by-the-books wannabe played by Philip Seymour Hoffman (“Doubt”, “The Master”).

Robin Williams is a terrific actor but his role here is horrid. Patch Adams is merely a simplistic clown, who takes no time for analysis. He just dives in and creates situations that could be fun but also could be offensive and physically troublesome for patients, not like the real success story. The other doctors are portrayed as fusty and totally uninterested in patients, nothing like real people. The patients all find basically jester-like activity highly beneficial regardless of mental and physical state, again nothing like real people. The film is shocking when it comes to taking such liberties with its characters.

If you’re going to make a soppy and brainless film like this then don’t claim it’s based on real events. The real Patch Adams has showcased his dislike of this movie and has criticised the fact it shows him stealing from hospitals when that never happened. Movies like this need to be intelligent if they are to gain the mind of someone such as me or anybody who isn’t heavily side-tracked by something else or below the mental age of seven. “Patch Adams” is a movie that has been made without a thought of the consequences; real people who weren’t paying a lot of attention are going to think people like the ‘hero’ of this film are inspirational.