Drama

Awakenings

- There is no such thing as a simple miracle.

Dr. Malcolm Sayer, a shy research physician, uses an experimental drug to "awaken" the catatonic victims of a rare disease. Leonard is the first patient to receive the controversial treatment. His awakening, filled with awe and enthusiasm, proves a rebirth for Sayer too, as the exuberant patient reveals life's simple but unutterably sweet pleasures to the introverted doctor.

Release Date : 1990-12-04

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Parkes/Lasker productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Awakenings

Cast

Character Name : Leonard Lowe

Original Name : Robert De Niro

Gender : Male

Character Name : Malcolm Sayer

Original Name : Robin Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Kaufman

Original Name : John Heard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eleanor Costello

Original Name : Julie Kavner

Gender : Female

Character Name : Paula

Original Name : Penelope Ann Miller

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Lowe

Original Name : Ruth Nelson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Peter Ingham

Original Name : Max von Sydow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miriam

Original Name : Anne Meara

Gender : Female

Character Name : Rolando

Original Name : Dexter Gordon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Frank

Original Name : George Martin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucy Fishman

Original Name : Alice Drummond

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sidney

Original Name : Richard Libertini

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lolly

Original Name : Laura Esterman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bert

Original Name : Barton Heyman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rose

Original Name : Judith Malina

Gender : Female

Character Name : Nurse Margaret

Original Name : Mary Alice

Gender : Female

Character Name : Anthony

Original Name : Keith Diamond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Tyler

Original Name : Bradley Whitford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Sullivan

Original Name : John Christopher Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse Beth

Original Name : Mary Catherine Wright

Gender : Female

Character Name : Frances

Original Name : Jayne Haynes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Magda

Original Name : Le Clanché du Rand

Gender : Female

Character Name : Joseph

Original Name : Yusef Bulos

Gender : Male

Character Name : Luis

Original Name : Steven Randazzo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dottie

Original Name : Gloria Harper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Desmond

Original Name : Gwyllum Evans

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ray

Original Name : Steve Vinovich

Gender : Male

Character Name : Janitor

Original Name : Tiger Haynes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hospital Director

Original Name : Harvey Miller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Psychiatrist

Original Name : Tanya Berezin

Gender : Female

Character Name : Neurochemist

Original Name : Peter Stormare

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Hall

Original Name : Shane Fistell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hysterical Woman

Original Name : Waheedah Ahmad

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Kean

Original Name : Charles Keating

Gender : Male

Character Name : Christina

Original Name : Christina Huertes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fishsticks

Original Name : Linda Burns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hospital Receptionist

Original Name : Judy Jacksina

Gender : Male

Character Name : George

Original Name : Gary Tacon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Orderly #1

Original Name : Rico Elias

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse Sara

Original Name : Mel Gorham

Gender : Female

Character Name : EEG Technician

Original Name : Chris Carolan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cafeteria Nurse

Original Name : Debra Kovner-Zaks

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ward #5 Orderly

Original Name : Max Rabinowitz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ward #5 Patient

Original Name : Gordon Joseph Weiss

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ward #5 Patient #2

Original Name : Byron Utley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ward #5 Patient #3

Original Name : Anthony McGowen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ward #5 Patient #4

Original Name : Paul Montgomery

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ward #5 Patient #5

Original Name : Leonard Tepper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ward #5 Patient #6

Original Name : Vincent Pastore

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ward #5 Patient #7

Original Name : Howard Feller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Club Singer

Original Name : Libby Titus

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bus Driver

Original Name : Michael Hyde

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bartender

Original Name : Tomislav Novakovic

Gender : Male

Character Name : Librarian

Original Name : Adam Bryant

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Leonard

Original Name : Anthony J. Nici

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leonard's Friend #1

Original Name : Oliver Block

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leonard's Friend #2

Original Name : Buck Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Teacher

Original Name : Joan E. MacIntosh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Medical Student

Original Name : Harry L. Seddon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Psych Ward Intern

Original Name : Jack Mulcahy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pot-Head Hippie

Original Name : Jason W. Fuchs

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hospital Orderly (uncredited)

Original Name : Vin Diesel

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

***A ‘hospital film’ with Robin Williams and Robert De Niro, based on a true story*** A shy doctor (Robin Williams) gets a job at a Bronx hospital in 1969 where he attends to several patients in a catatonic state after the encephalitis epidemic of 1917–28. He experiments with a new drug that offers the hope of reviving them. Robert De Niro plays his key patient, Julie Kavner his nurse and John Heard his supervisor. Penelope Ann Miller is also on hand as a potential romantic interest. "Awakenings” (1990) is based on Oliver Sacks' 1973 memoir of the same name, which chronicled the true event that occurred the summer of ’69. Being a hospital movie about ailing people trying to recover puts it in the same camp as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” (1975) and “Instinct” (1999), but it’s not as compelling. There’s just not enough human interest beyond the viewer being sympathetic toward the patients’ plight and wanting them to get well. It’s also marred by some blatant predictableness, like Leonard’s name on the bench and the “cup of coffee” aspect. Still, this is a tale that needed to be told and I’m not sorry I watched it. It’s just overrated. The film runs 2 hours and was shot in Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens, New York City. GRADE: C+