RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Awakenings
Awakenings

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Bookmark and Share

Awakenings (1990)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
86 %
Tomatometer

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted: 28

Fresh: 24

Rotten:4

Average Rating: 6.6/10

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

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

May 18, 1999

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Awakenings

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

A beautifully moving, life-affirming true story.

comment Comment
07/05/07
Chuck O'Leary
FulvueDrive-in.com

A potentially intriguing story, based on the actual experiences of Dr. Sacks, gets a characteristically middling, sentimental and uplifting from director Penny Marshall.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
02/01/07
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

No review available.

comment Comment
07/07/05
Joe Williams
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

No review available.

comment Comment
06/11/05
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Tour-de-force performances and one memorable storyline

comment Comment
03/10/05
Clint Morris
Moviehole

No review available.

comment Comment
01/29/05
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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.

comment Comment
11/02/04
Nick Davis
Nick's Flick Picks

No review available.

comment Comment
07/16/04
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

Moving and over-sentimental - but Marshall's best film.

comment Comment
06/05/04
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Solid medical drama. Williams is terrific in a straight role.

comment Comment
05/23/04
Dan Lybarger
Nitrate Online

No review available.

comment Comment
04/21/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

No review available.

comment Comment
01/07/04
Michael Dequina
Mr. Brown's Movies

No review available.

comment Comment
11/04/03
Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion

Utter goo.

comment Comment
08/14/03
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

No review available.

comment Comment
08/04/03
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Moving and well-acted.

comment Comment
05/20/03
Widgett Walls
Needcoffee.com

No review available.

comment Comment
05/02/03
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing

The beginning of Robin Williams' belief that being 'nice' equals cinematic brilliance. A mixed bag that received more acclaim than it should have.

comment Comment
03/25/03
Oz
Hollywood Bitchslap
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
See More Topics...

Related Forums for Awakenings

Click here to be the first to post a message on this forum.

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
79%
79%
 Gran Torino
30%
30%
 12 Rounds
23%
23%
 Confessions of a Shopa…
—
 The Code
39%
39%
 Inkheart

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
22%
22%
 Push
12%
12%
 The Unborn

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

What’s Hot On RT

5 Favorite Films

5 Favorite Films

Director Kathryn Bigelow on Hurt Locker, more

Revisiting Hogwarts

Revisiting Hogwarts

Day 2: The Chamber of Secrets

Humpday Clip

Humpday Clip

An exclusive peek at the indie comedy!

RT on Current TV!

RT on Current TV!

Check out the RT Show this Thursday!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Spider-Man 4 Gets Its Third Writer Source: Latino Review
 50
  • Warners Wins Favorable Ruling in Superman Case Source: Variety
 16
  • Remo Williams Rides Again Source: Risky Biz
 9
  • Mortal Kombat 3 Filming in September? Source: Slashfilm
 82
  • MacGruber Gets a Director Source: Variety
 39
  • PG-13 Turns 25 Source: VideoETA
 8
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
 92
  • Brandon Routh Talks Superman's Future Source: Moviehole
 98
  • Sony's Amy Pascal Explains Moneyball Balk Source: Los Angeles Times
 6
  • Three Theaters Getting Harry Potter in IMAX Opening Day Source: Collider.com
 18
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
 66
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Transformers and Ice Age Tie for Top Spot
 59
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
 46
  • Five Favorite Films with Kathryn Bigelow
 39
  • RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed
 26
  • Total Recall: Mock Docs That Rock
 26
  • Critics Consensus: Bruno is Certified Fresh
 25
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 23
  • Five Favourite Films with Jaime Winstone
 17
  • Watch RT on Current TV
 6
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi
 0
  • RT Interview: Tony Scott on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
 10
  • Cannes 2009: RT Interview - Sally Hawkins on We Want Sex
 2
  • RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia
 5
  • Hollywood Legend Debbie Reynolds Reflects On her Life in Showbiz
 10
  • Exclusive: McG Talks Terminator Salvation
 24
  • Georgia Groome - Fresh Talent on RT
 5
  • RT Interview: Reading The Reader with Stephen Daldry
 11
  • RT Interview: Oscar Nominee Melissa Leo
 7
  • Carey Mulligan - Fresh Talent on RT
 7
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Awakenings at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Awakenings at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno External Link

MSN's David Fear and Frank Paiva go head to head discussing the pros and cons of Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen.

The New Cult Canon
The New Cult Canon External Link

The AV Club's Scott Tobias takes a second look at David Lynch's cult classic, Lost Highway.

Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles
Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles External Link

TIME takes us on a 25-year long journey into the superstar's career, giving us a look at his 10 best roles.

A Baywatch Comedy?
A Baywatch Comedy? External Link

BuzzSugar reports on Paramount's plans to rebirth the iconic TV show as a comedy film.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.