Genre: Drama
Jop’s Rating: 10/10
View IMDb Movie Trailer
Awakenings is a true story and with the vision of director Penny Marshall, dramatic humor of the late great Robin Williams and the superb art form of Robert Di Nero we are lead into the insight of a disease encephalitis that literally trapped young children of the 1920’s in a catatonic state, stopping their will to move or speak. Williams portrays a doctor in 1969 who discovers the same children and this ailment due to the similarities of the symptoms including multiple patients and the length of time they have been ill. He discovers a drug
that will “awaken” these poor souls for a short time.
Dr. Oliver Sacks, Writer
Robin Williams & Dr. Oliver Slacks
This movie is based on the findings and stories of the real Dr. Oliver Sacks and his book. There are events that are very similar to the movie. Even a few of the main characters and their quotes in the movie were truly spoken to Dr. Sacks. I learned this on a Youtube News video with Dr. Sacks discussing this movie and it’s relation to his book. For an 8 minute video it was quite informative. Certain scenes were explained thereby letting me get closer to the story and it’s characters. You Tube link for this newscast, complete with real patient clips when they were awake and honestly, I fell in love with them right away 🙂 It is quite interesting.
“The Human Spirit is more powerful than any drug. That is what needs to be nourished.”
Hollywood’s magic and talents condense the story for us as we get a glimpse of these people’s daily lives and their care givers. This is one o
f those
motion pictures that you just do not turn you head away from the screen, you begin to absorb the music of the soundtrack and your heartstrings will strike a cord, may even run down your cheek 🙂
Visit the movie site IMDB for more info or viewing option.