Robert De Niro
Leonard Lowe
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Awakenings is a 1990 American drama film directed by Penny Marshall. It was written by Steven Zaillian , who based his screenplay on Oliver Sacks 's 1973 memoir, Awakenings . It tells the story of neurologist Dr. Malcolm Sayer ( Robin Williams ), based on Sacks, who discovers the beneficial effects of the drug L -DOPA in 1969.
- $29 million
- Randy Newman
- December 20, 1990 (United States)
Jan 11, 1991 · Based on a true story, a doctor tries to revive catatonic patients with a new drug after an encephalitis epidemic. Starring Robert De Niro, Robin Williams and Julie Kavner, directed by Penny Marshall.
- (153K)
- Penny Marshall
- PG-13
- Biography, Drama
Dec 14, 2023 · Awakenings is a fictionalized retelling of Dr. Oliver Sacks' work on catatonic patients, based on his book and the true story of a patient who awakens with L-DOPA. The movie depicts the devastating effects of encephalitis lethargica and the potential of L-DOPA, but some changes were made for dramatic purposes. Learn more about the real doctor, the drug experiments, and the differences between the book and the movie.
- Adrienne Tyler
What to know. 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...
- (37)
- Penny Marshall
- PG-13
- Robert De Niro
- DictionaryA·wak·en·ing/əˈwākəniNG/
noun
- 1. an act of waking from sleep: formal "since my awakening I had realized it was a very special day"
- 2. an act or moment of becoming suddenly aware of something: "the war came as a rude awakening to the hardships of life"
adjective
- 1. coming into existence or awareness: "his awakening desire"
Dec 20, 1990 · A film adaptation of Oliver Sacks's book about patients with a neurological condition that causes them to be frozen in a vegetative state for years. The film follows the doctor who discovers a drug that can reverse their condition and their lives. The reviewer praises the film's intelligence, heart, and performance of De Niro as the main character.
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A film about a doctor who tries to revive catatonic patients with a drug in 1969. The patients face the challenges of re-entering the world and the limitations of the drug's effects.
