Awakenings

The movie did spark my interest on many levels. First were the actors. Robert de Niro and Robin Williams really know how to put on a show, and have been among my favorites growing up. Having not watched this film before, I was intrigued by the psychological and psychiatric setting and theme that surrounded the film (quite natural for a psych major I would say!). A heartwarming tale injected with a tinge of humor, the movie, in my opinion, managed to capture the very essence of a somehow socially awkward doctor and his plight to cure a disorder, and making friends along the way. I liked how Dr. Sayer's and Leonard's relationship began developing since the L-Dopa drug took a positive toll on Leonard's condition. It was touching to see how a man who had not experienced life for 30 years, suddenly regained consciousnesses and awareness of his current state, with his oh-so-very dedicated and encouraging doctor guiding him every step of the way, rediscovering life together.

However, I was rather disturbed by Dr. Sayer's decision in administering an extra dosage of L-Dopa while Leonard was asleep. That raised a few questions about professional ethical behavior, as Dr. Sayer did not consult with his fellow doctors or Leonard's mother before taking matters into his own hands. Although it did produce intended outcomes, the risk of not knowing what to expect could have severed his patient's condition to an ever more unmanageable level. My point is that in professional decision-making, things like 'hunches' or 'intuition' should definitely merit a consultation, especially with the patient's relatives.

I honestly thought it was going to be one of those happy ending types but boy was I proved wrong. An especially devastating part was when Leonard's condition began taking a downfall once again, and his meeting with Paula went completely disastrous (or at least that was what he thought). Fighting thunderous jolts of involuntary movements, the desperation and frustration in Leonard's eyes as he looked at Paula, the obvious disappointment as he began trembling away from Paula at the cafeteria was indeed the recipe for massive teardrops! And when Paula got up and took him in her arms, and began slow dancing...need I say more? One  part which sort of made me go 'huh?' was Dr. Sayer's field trip. Why put 20 old people who had just risen from the underworld into a bus only moments after their 'recovery' with absolutely no observation period was beyond me. But oh well.

All in all, I rather liked the show. It wasn't some cliche film with a predictable ending which I would usually be turned off by. 4 stars (: