Patch Adams MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +3 1/2 Content: -2

Based on the true story of Dr. Hunter Adams, PATCH ADAMS is a hysterically funny, but touching story of one man's quest to change the medical profession. Robin Williams plays the title character who checks into a psychiatric hospital for suicidal depression. While interacting with other patients, Hunter finds a new reason to live. Checking out of the hospital, Patch enrolls in medical school so he can help people as a doctor. A brilliant mind, Patch seems to study very little but his grades are near the top of his class. But his desire to help patience gets him in trouble with the dean when he starts entertaining them. Patch believes doctors take themselves too seriously and that doctoring should be about improving the patient's quality of life, not just postponing death or fixing a disease. And in most cases that means laughter. But too much laughter, in the serious world of medicine almost gets Patch kicked out of medical school. This inspiring story will do well at the box office and should be required viewing at medical schools.

Dr. Adams' desire to help patients find laughter and improve their quality of life is commendable. But the humor often deals with sexually crude topics. Patch also calls the dean by an obscenity. Other obscenities, including several slang terms for genitals and 7 s-words, pollute the dialogue. When his girlfriend, a fellow student, is killed by a patient, Patch wants to give up and lashes out at God. But a butterfly reminds him of a story his girlfriend told. While his ideals are admirable, Patch argues with and often defies authority. As a final irreverence, when Patch graduates his gown is open in back and his bare posterior shows. There's also brief rear nudity when a patient is given an injection. Unfortunately, although the story is inspirational, the foul language and nudity make PATCH ADAMS less than recommendable.

Preview Reviewer: Paul Bicking
Distributor: Universal Pictures, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA, 91608