Awakenings

tytuł polski: Przebudzenia

director / reżyseria: Penny Marshall

USA, 1990

This movie is based on a book by Oliver Sacks and is also based on real events. It tells a story of a doctor working in a psychiatric hospital who discovers how to help patients suffering from coma encephalitis. After much research and experimentation Dr. Malcolm Sayer (played by Robin Williams) finds a drug that awakens patients from a coma. The first patient to wake up is Leonard Lowe, played by Robert De Niro. After many years of detachment from reality, Leonard tries to start life anew. He meets new places, new people. Unfortunately, the happiness of the patients does not last long. After some time, the drug stops working and patients slowly lose themselves in their disease. Leonard can’t accept it. After such a long absence, he does not want to lose his newly regained life. Unfortunately, Dr. Malcolm and other doctors are unable to determine what went wrong and why the drug stopped working. After a long time, the patients fall back into a coma.
The drama of this film is revealed in Leonardo’s behavior, when he realizes that he may soon lose his life again. The amazing acting of the characters allows us to feel even more the drama of the sick. The relationships between the patients and the doctors and the patients’ desire to live is very touching. Not one person will be able not to shed a tear while watching this film. However, it is worth watching just to become aware of how bad some people have it in life and how much we should appreciate what we have.

Julia Wasilewska

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