brain disorders movie reviews

Awakenings

1/31/2014

A doctor discovers a new medication that helps revive his catatonic patients, allowing them a chance to experience life once again.

Dr. Malcolm Sayer learns of a new medication called L-Dopa that he believes will help revive his patients who suffer from a Parkinson's- like condition caused by encephalitis. Dr. Sayer tests his hypothesis on Leonard Lowe, a patient who has been in a catatonic state for thirty years. The drug proves to be a success with Leonard and so the drug is administered to all the other catatonic patients at the hospital. While the new medication allows Leonard and the other patients a second chance at experiencing life, it also brings some unexpected challenges. Leonard must now cope with his romantic feelings for a visitor at the hospital, the restrictions on his freedom as a patient, as well as a gradual decline in the effectiveness of the treatment.

2 Comments

Alexis Fusco

2/6/2015 04:16:28 am

This film was an absolute endearing mess. Robin Williams, Dr. Sayer, broke multiple medical protocols and laws that nowadays would be considered super duper illegal and not only would get his license suspended, but probably land him in prison. However, because Robin Williams is so lovely, we as an audience let him get away with what he is doing. When the treatment took too long, he does what any impatient person does, TURN UP THE DOSE, THAT'LL MAKE IT WORK FASTER. I mean, he wasn't wrong but he totally could have killed Leonard, but it's fine because he didn't. These patients are important to shed light on because the elderly are seldom taken seriously when it comes to mental illness. Old people are expected to lose their minds and become demented, so why even bother helping them if they're only going to be around for a few more years? This movie is very emotional and entertaining, but over all super unethical. The illness was cleared up for most of the film, but at the end of the day they were tossed back to square one. These patients diagnosed with Encephalitis lethargica which is an atypical disease that causes a statue like state and can hinder speech and understanding. It attacks the brain and eats away at it. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encephalitis_lethargica) It’s a pretty awful way to live life. Most patients contracted the disease young, their early twenties or younger, and were simply forgotton about.

Lisa Hudson

3/6/2016 03:51:29 pm

This movie was great and powerful and I thought it was very touching. I This movie showed a passionate man that was only trying to better his patients. He used different methods which he tested on his patients and documented the results. Now, in the health field this would be considered nethical. But, I could only see that the doctor, played by robin williams, was trying to find ways to help those patients. He noticed that these patients were acgually conscious of what was going on and wanted to respond, but something in their brain was causing them not to do so. He saw that these patients were basically vegetables and wanted to do something about it Maybe he could find a cure of some sort to give them back their lives and give them back their ability to actually respond to what their brain wanted them to do. That is why he gave those drugs to the patients. For a short while, the drug worked but lately down the line, he noticed that there were some adverse effects happening. The patient played by Robert Dinero, could not focus and read the book because his conditions was prevent him from doing so and his confidence played a role in it as well . He did not believe in himself and took a major effect on alot of the obstacles that came his way. I loved that the doctor played by robin Williams, was compassionate and wanted his patients to do better. He tried to help his patients in the best way possible. This was a great movie and you could definitely see the struggle in the patients and the sadness that they endured and hopefulness that doctor had for his patients.

Awakenings

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