A beautifully moving, life-affirming true story.
Awakenings (1990)
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Reviews Counted:27
Fresh:24
Rotten:3
Average Rating:6.7/10
Runtime: 2 hrs
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: A pioneering neurologist wants to take a risk and give his patients who suffer from encephalitis a drug used for Parkinson's Disease. He tries it out on one man who miraculously wakes from his... A pioneering neurologist wants to take a risk and give his patients who suffer from encephalitis a drug used for Parkinson's Disease. He tries it out on one man who miraculously wakes from his perpetual catatonic state. After his initial success, the hospital staff allows him to "wake" the other patients on the ward, who all make remarkable recoveries. But the "miracle" proves fleeting as, one by one, the patients return to their solitary, trance-like worlds. [More]
Starring: Robin Williams, Robert De Niro, John Heard, Julie Kavner
Starring: Robin Williams, Robert De Niro, John Heard, Julie Kavner, Penelope Ann Miller
Director: Penny Marshall
Director: Penny Marshall
Composer: Randy Newman
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Reviews for Awakenings
A potentially intriguing story, based on the actual experiences of Dr. Sacks, gets a characteristically middling, sentimental and uplifting from director Penny Marshall.
I remember this film, which I saw 13 years ago, as a squishy article redeemed by two strong performances; I am not inclined to go back for a second opinion.
The beginning of Robin Williams' belief that being 'nice' equals cinematic brilliance. A mixed bag that received more acclaim than it should have.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
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