AWAKENINGS: THE UNDERAPPRECIATED 1990 DRAMA THAT SHOULD SEE NEW RENEWED RECOGNITION
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Robert De Niro and Robin Williams were paired together in 1990’s poignant drama Awakenings, a film that won critical praise and three Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor, yet has largely disappeared from public discourse. Directed by Penny Marshall and adapted from Oliver Sacks’ memoir, the film is the true story of Dr. Malcolm Sayer (played by Williams), a serious-minded 1960s neurologist who discovers a potential cure for catatonic patients who suffer from a rare form of Parkinson’s disease. De Niro delivers an extremely strong performance as Leonard Lowe, the first patient for this test treatment.