Awakenings

In 1969, Dr. Malcolm Sayer arrives at a Bronx hospital and turns his attention to a group of catatonic patients who survived the encephalitis lethargica outbreak. He experiments with sensory and social stimuli to probe their consciousness and begins documenting their responses. He soon realizes that simple cues can spark momentary awakenings in some patients.

Sayer discovers that cues like catching a ball, hearing familiar music, being spoken to by name, or a touch can awaken patients from catatonia. The awakenings are partial and patient-specific, offering glimpses into otherwise quiet interior lives. He starts applying these techniques to Leonard Lowe and others in his care.

Leonard Lowe appears largely unmoved at first, but he reveals a way to communicate through a Ouija board. The exchange with Sayer shows there is consciousness behind the silence. Sayer recognizes the potential to form a real human connection with Leonard.

Sayer attends a conference where doctors discuss L-DOPA's success for Parkinson's disease and imagines applying it to his patients. The talk fuels his belief that medications could truly 'awaken' the catatonic minds. He begins seeking funding to run a larger trial.

A trial of L-DOPA yields an astounding result: Leonard completely awakens from his catatonia. He can speak, move, and engage with his surroundings for the first time in years. The moment inspires optimism but also raises questions about how to sustain the change.

Spurred by Leonard's awakening, Sayer secures funding to treat all catatonic patients with L-DOPA. The hospital administration agrees to expand the program and bring more patients into the 'awakening' process. The hope is to replicate Leonard's success across the unit.

Leonard develops romantic feelings for Paula, the daughter of another patient, and yearns for freedom beyond the hospital's walls. He questions the rules that confine him and begins to push against the limits of his hospitalization. The relationship intensifies his desire to live a normal life.

As Leonard fights for more autonomy, he begins to experience facial and body tics that he struggles to control. His movement becomes shakier, and his ability to comply with rules diminishes. Sayer notices the early signs of a relapse in Leonard's condition.

Though Leonard is the first to awaken, the effects prove temporary. His tics intensify, his walk shuffles, and full-body spasms return as the benefits of L-DOPA fade despite increasing doses. One by one, the other patients also slip back toward catatonia.

Leonard shares a final lunch with Paula and tells her that he can no longer see her. Paula invites him to dance, and during the dance his spasms briefly cease, offering a moment of calm. The scene marks a bittersweet sign of humanity amidst decline.

Leonard reconciles with Sayer, but soon returns to a catatonic state while the other patients drop back as the drug effects wane. The unit confronts the limits of L-DOPA and the ethical implications of keeping or releasing patients. The awakenings have changed the staff's empathy and approach to care.

Dr. Sayer addresses the donors, explaining that while physical awakenings were temporary, the awakenings of perception and appreciation for life were deeply real. He himself grows bolder, asking Nurse Eleanor Costello for coffee. The experience shifts the hospital toward greater dignity and empathy for its patients.

Paula continues visiting Leonard and maintains a quiet connection through the Ouija board. Even when Leonard is unresponsive, the board serves as a link to his humanity and to Sayer's friendship. The film closes on this enduring spirit that survives beyond physical awakening.