MovieChat Forums > Patch Adams (1998) Discussion > I keep reading...

I keep reading...

posted 10 years ago by TheCommenteer
1 reply | jump to latest

Comments from people about the character in the movie suggesting that he never studies, acts like a clown and "what would you rather, a professional doctor who knows what he is doing, or a clown"

These two ideas are not mutually exclusive.

He never studies because he already knows the theory. He is passionate about it, knows it inside and out, and knows how to apply it. In addition to this, he entertains patients, understands and listens to them.

Yep, what a horrible doctor he would be.

His scores are high. Why would you sit there and study for the sake of appearances? This sort of backwards thinking is really sad. Yes, the movie didn't show him practising medicine, but do you need to be spoon fed everything? Do you really think the sick people he cared for became well only because he made them laugh, and nothing else? Even the movie doesn't try to imply that laughter is the ONLY medicine.

[–] novastar_6 10 years ago

Some people have it lucky and don't HAVE to kill themselves studying, like people with a photographic memory, and lucky them. In real life however, Patch notified the college that he didn't WANT to know what his test scores were UNLESS he was failing, which clearly never happened. So again, lucky for him.