Starring: Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Julie Kavner, Ruth Nelson, John Heard
Directed by: Penny Marshall
Binding: DVD
Published: 1997-09-10
ISBN: 0800177363
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$9.99

Features:

Anamorphic
Closed-captioned
Color
Dolby

Awakenings

Editorial Review:

Based on the true story of a shy research physician who uses an experimental drug to awaken catatonic victims of a rare sleeping sickness. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 12/21/2004 Starring: Robert Deniro Robin Williams Run time: 120 minutes Rating: Pg13 Director: Penny Marshall
Based on the acclaimed book by neurologist Oliver Sacks, director Penny Marshall's hit 1990 drama stars Robin Williams as Dr. Malcolm Sayer. Sayer is a neurologist who discovers that the drug L-Dopa can be used to "unlock" patients in a mental hospital from the mysterious sleeping sickness that has left them utterly immobilized. Leonard (Robert De Niro) is one such patient who awakens after being in a comatose state for 30 years, leaving Sayer to guide Leonard in adjusting to the world around him. Penelope Ann Miller costars as the daughter of another patient, with whom Leonard falls tenuously in love. Earning Oscar nominations for best picture, actor, and screenplay, this moving fact-based drama was a hit with critics and audiences alike. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

Open your eyes to this beautifully touching film...:

If ever I feel like I need a good cry (my wife is always saying I am such a girl, but I appreciate the need for emotional release) then this is one of the four or five films I readily reach for (the others being `The Elephant Man', `Million Dollar Baby', `Of Mice and Men' and the mediocre yet emotionally draining `I Am Sam'). If Ron Howard is the king of schmaltz then Penny Marshall is the queen, for she understands, like Howard, how to create a heavy-handed manipulative film feel natural and inviting. This... more info

Penny Marshall's finest film.:

Awakenings is a depressing film but an important one to watch. Directed by Penny Marshall, Awakenings is based on a true story of patients who have come out of mental illness unscathed, well temporarily of course. Robert De Niro gives the performance of a lifetime and Robin Williams proves he is more than a funny, goofy actor. Penelope Ann Miller is stunning in this film as well, very under-rated actress. Give this '90s tearjerker a viewing, enjoy!

L Dopa Really Fixed Me Up!:

I think "Awakenings" is a good dramatization of the real life scientific study as presented in the book. But I'm more interested in the scientific story than a dramatazation of it that creates a love interest and basically has Robin Williams playing the role he'd redo in Patch Adams (albeit of course much better in "Awakenings") than actually relive the life of the renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks who is of course fictionalized here and wrote the book. And the portrayal of people with disabilities takes... more info

From the author of Tales of Ancient Xenar:

Yes, I saw this movie after it was released on VHS back in 1991. This movie wasn't one of Robin Williams' usual fare since comedy films are more his norm. But in this film, he performed well. This film was also different for its other actor, Robert DeNiro. Action films and Tough Guy films were more his norm. But in this film, he played a brain-disorder patient and played him very well.
I once read a chapter in a text book and the events in this film are pretty accurately described in that text book... more info

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