Awakenings (1990)

Very Cool!!!

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

This is based on true life event and has great actors in the lead. I don't know how it is I had not seen it before, but while I was looking for something else on Netflix I stumbled across this. Some people may think De Niro lost his touch once he got into comedy, but you cannot for one second doubt or critisize him in the Dramas he played in.This one in particular, was not easy to play. And I can only imagine a method actor like him, what he must have gone through. Well what he made himself endure. While there always are things that are going to be altered from reality for dramatic purposes, what happened in 1969, what the doctors and patients went through is tough to put into words. It is something that is touching, sad and uplifting at various points of the movie. At the end, you get a bit of extra information on the real people. But even without that added text, the movie was clear. The power of the mind is big ... and the power of movies tries to match it here ...

Movie Review: "Awakenings" (1990)When real-life Neurologist Oliver Sacks M.D. (1933-2015) presents his essays on treating a rare neurological brain-infecting virus that completely shuts down the motoric as sensual systems by alternating the human immune system, which had been fulminate adapted by screenwriter Steve Zaillian, who eventually gets recognized for his decisive as well-researched material into cinematic dramatizations, which director Penny Marshall, who in her own right just departed from a huge hit at the U.S. domestic box offices with "Big" starring Tom Hanks, at age 31, when here Robert De Niro, playing the Encephalitis-infected patient Leonard for three decades in coma-like state of no-interaction with any opposite human beings, and Robin Williams with gentle-retreats of a compassionated Doctor Malcolm Sayer as synonym for off-screen credited Oliver Sacks.Together, alongside with "state of the art" cinematography of no further experiments, but perfectly-received coverage and an realistically-designed Mental Institution environment of 1969 in New York City's outcasting borough of the Bronx, cast and crew find a balanced picture, where any medically-as-humane interested spectator can witness at least on-screen, what it is means to live with utmost life-threatening conditions, when medication, here at that time newly develop neurotransmitting-dopamine (drug) wakes the brain-virus-infected patients for the time being, in witnessing action beats by Robert De Niro as Leonard, who runs through a full cycle of emotions of being completly rehabilitated to shrink under the pressures of life itself, while meeting as caring people all-around with suspense-peaking as heart-breaking scene of dancing with Penelope Ann Miller as Paula under slight hints of a highly-emotional soundtrack by Randy Newman.© 2018 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

Probably one of the best movies I have ever seen.I followed the success of Dr. Malcolm Sayer (superb Robin Williams) as if it were my own; I cried with joy and sadness and felt the same frustration as Leonard (brilliant Robert De Niro); and Leonard's mother (splendid Ruth Nelson) was a caring, confused and a warrior defending her child like a true Mother in this type of situation usually is.As we know from the start that it is based on a true story, the whole movie feels genuine to us and the superb performances of all the actors make us believe in everything that is displayed on the screen. We completely forget that they are actors, and when that happens the emotions become real and we feel them in our heart.10 out of 10 for a movie that should be in everyone's must watch list.

De Niro plays the role of a patient (Leonard Lowe) with a neurological disorder (Encephalitis Lethargica AKA "sleepy sickness". The disease attacks the brain, leaving some victims in a statue-like condition, speechless and motionless; the cause of Encephalitis Lethargica is not know). He was treated by this doctor (Robin Williams), who used a psychoactive drug called L-DOPA during the treatment. The drug awoke Leonard.It's the true story of British neurologist Oliver Sacks (it's based on Oliver Sacks's 1973 memoir "Awakenings") and a great movie!(Curious stuff: between 1915 and 1926, an epidemic of Encephalitis Lethargica spread around the world; no recurrence of the epidemic has since been reported.)