Patch Adams (1998)
Kernel Score: 84% · 3,399 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: Comedy, Drama
Released: 1998-12-25
Runtime: 115 minutes
Is Patch Adams worth watching?
Worth watching. Robin Williams plays a medical student who believes laughter heals, in a sentimental true-story crowd-pleaser. It's manipulative in places and loose with the facts, but Williams's warmth is real and plenty of viewers find it moving.
Watch it if you
- want a heartfelt, feel-good drama
- love Robin Williams in sincere mode
- enjoy stories about doctors who break the rules
Skip it if you
- dislike openly sentimental films
- want a faithful biography
Best for: Cozy night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Patch Adams
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-22.
Overview
The true story of Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams, who in the 1970s found that humor is the best medicine, and was willing to do just anything to make his patients laugh—even if it meant risking his own career.
Patch Adams parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that Patch Adams deals with a hospital setting, suicidal thoughts, and a psychiatric hospital backdrop within an inspirational true story.
- Violence & scariness: A little — References to suicidal thoughts and hospital/medical distress in a psychiatric setting.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Patch Adams
If you liked Patch Adams, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Awakenings (1990) — 88%: Robin Williams again, in a tender story about caring for patients
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) — 93%: The tougher, sharper film about patients and institutional rules
- Something the Lord Made (2004) — 87%: True story of doctors defying convention to help patients
- Forrest Gump (1994) — 97%: Warm, sentimental American story with a gentle comic touch
- Life Is Beautiful (1997) — 93%: Humour used to protect people through hard times
- Girl, Interrupted (1999) — 86%: A look inside a hospital with a more serious tone
Director
Tom Shadyac
Cast
- Robin Williams as Hunter 'Patch' Adams
- Monica Potter as Carin Fisher
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as Mitch Roman
- Daniel London as Truman Schiff
- Bob Gunton as Dean Walcott
- Harve Presnell as Dean Anderson
- Peter Coyote as Bill Davis
- Michael Jeter as Rudy
- Josef Sommer as Dr. Eaton
- Irma P. Hall as Joletta
Patch Adams FAQ
Is Patch Adams worth watching?
Worth watching. Robin Williams plays a medical student who believes laughter heals, in a sentimental true-story crowd-pleaser. It's manipulative in places and loose with the facts, but Williams's warmth is real and plenty of viewers find it moving.
Where can I watch Patch Adams?
In the US you can rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Patch Adams OK for kids?
Patch Adams is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that Patch Adams deals with a hospital setting, suicidal thoughts, and a psychiatric hospital backdrop within an inspirational true story.
What movies are like Patch Adams?
If you liked Patch Adams, try Awakenings, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Something the Lord Made and Forrest Gump.