Awakenings

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2:44

Awakenings

PG-13

Released Dec 20, 1990

2h 1m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

37 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

The story of a doctor's extraordinary work in the Sixties with a group of catatonic patients he finds languishing in a Bronx hospital. Speculating that their rigidity may be akin to an extreme form of Parkinsonism, he seeks permission from his skeptical superiors to treat them with L-dopa, a drug that was used to treat Parkinson's disease at the time.

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Critics Consensus

Elevated by some of Robin Williams' finest non-comedic work and a strong performance from Robert De Niro, Awakenings skirts the edges of melodrama, then soars above it.

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Stanley Kauffmann

The New Republic

Williams gives his best "straight" performance, shorn of all his marvelous manic vaudeville. The man he plays here is not a performer, which he was even in Dead Poets Society, but simply a man.

Aug 15, 2014

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B

Sep 7, 2011

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Nonfunny Robin Williams role in moving story.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 22, 2010

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Noah Berlatsky

Splice Today

If Awakenings is a cure for Hollywood’s sexism, then it is, unfortunately, a cure which was painfully limited.

Apr 22, 2024

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Terry Francis

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

Though the film is directed with elegant reticence by the gifted Penny Marshall, it's diminished somewhat by Zaillian's tissue-thin adaptation which relies heavily on formulaic comedy, on cliches of character and plot.

Rated: 2/4

May 9, 2023

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Awakenings suffers from false optimism and, in the end, is inconsolably sad. [Full review in Spanish]

Jan 20, 2023

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Horror fan 4

Williams and de Niro give great performances and the direction is superb. An absolute masterpiece. Tim Treakle

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/25

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Ivan Gaton F

Simply human and hopeful. Robin Williams and De Niro the best acting

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/25

Full Review

Pip S

Robin and Robert impressive in an also very good film.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/25

Full Review

Taylor H

I watched this movie going in completely blind, and by the end of the movie I had placed it in my top 5 of all time. Although it is a true story, it also carries a lot of metaphorical meanings along with it. Sadly, for most people in the world, life is suffering, and it is the awakenings along the way that remind us why we are here and what is so wonderful about being alive. The scene where Leonard (De Niro) has his first dance, which also reduced his suffering/tremors for the moment, was such a beautiful display of how life can be sometimes. It's impossible to imagine the difficulty these families went through in real life, but there is still something very telling about humanity in this story and movie. By the way I cried a lot and you probably will too.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/25

Full Review

Codi N

I HATE this movie. The acting is great. That is not the issue. You feel like you are going to see people overcome. Instead it is Flowers for Algernon. Literally my WORST nightmare. Nope, just nope.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/25

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Justin O

The acting performances by Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro were amazing and actually save this wildly sad film.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/25

Full Review

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Penny Marshall

Director

Robert De Niro

Leonard Lowe

Robin Williams

Dr. Malcolm Sayer

Julie Kavner

Eleanor Costello

Ruth Nelson

Mrs. Lowe

John Heard

Dr. Kaufman

Awakenings: Official Clip - The Drug Isn't Working

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Awakenings: Official Clip - The Will of the Ball

2:18

Awakenings: Official Clip - Remind Them How Good It Is

1:47

Awakenings: Official Clip - The Simplest Things

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Awakenings: Official Clip - I Won't See You Anymore

2:29

Awakenings: Official Clip - You Woke A Person

2:14

Awakenings: Official Clip - The Strangest Dream

2:09

Awakenings: Official Clip - We're Talking About Money

1:29

Awakenings: Official Clip - You're Awake

2:29

Awakenings: Official Clip - Don't Give Up on Me

2:02

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Synopsis

The story of a doctor's extraordinary work in the Sixties with a group of catatonic patients he finds languishing in a Bronx hospital. Speculating that their rigidity may be akin to an extreme form of Parkinsonism, he seeks permission from his skeptical superiors to treat them with L-dopa, a drug that was used to treat Parkinson's disease at the time.

Director: Penny Marshall
Producer: Walter F. Parkes, Lawrence Lasker
Screenwriter: Steven Zaillian
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 20, 1990, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 15, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $49.4M
Runtime: 2h 1m
Sound Mix: Surround

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