Awakenings

Dr. Malcolm Sayer is a reserved research physician at a hospital caring for patients who have been motionless for years due to a rare neurological condition. When he tries an experimental medication on one man, Leonard Lowe, the patient awakens after decades and greets the world with startling energy and curiosity. Leonard's return brings joy, confusion, and renewed connection with family and staff, and it encourages Sayer to open up beyond his routines. The hospital atmosphere shifts as hope spreads, and ethical and emotional questions surface about treatment, dependence, and how much can be restored. The film follows these early days without revealing later outcomes, focusing on human moments, relationships, and the slow unfolding of consequences for everyone involved.

Released in 1990 and directed by Penny Marshall, the film notably adapts neurologist Oliver Sacks' memoir into a screenplay by Steven Zaillian. It stars Robert De Niro and Robin Williams, with John Heard, Julie Kavner and Penelope Ann Miller.

The film received significant awards attention, earning nominations from major industry organizations and critics groups. Lead performances by De Niro and Williams were widely recognized, and the screenplay and direction drew praise as well, helping the movie become a frequent reference during that year's awards season.

Awakenings left a lasting impression because of its humane portrayal of neurological patients and the interplay between its leads. Scenes and imagery from the film have been cited in media and medical discussions, and it helped introduce Oliver Sacks' clinical accounts to a wider audience, prompting conversations about care.

Critical response highlighted the film's performances and clear, emotionally direct storytelling, reflected in a user vote average of 7.774 out of 10 from 2,752 votes. Major themes include compassion, mortality, the ethical limits of experimental treatment, and the fragile, often surprising ways ordinary life can regain significance.