Don't listen to the negative reviews

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

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.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Billy Caufield (Michael Keaton) is a delusional writer with anger issues. Henry Sikorsky (Christopher Lloyd) avoids his family and pretends to be a doctor. Jack McDermott (Peter Boyle) is the religious former ad exec who likes to walk around naked. Albert Ianuzzi (Stephen Furst) has trouble communicating. Dr. Weitzman (Dennis Boutsikaris) is treating them at Cedarbrook Hospital. He takes them on a field trip to the Yankees game. Albert pretends to pee and makes a run for it. Weitzman goes looking for him and stumbles upon a murder. He is knocked unconscious and hospitalized while his patients are left on their own. Billy reconnects with girlfriend Riley (Lorraine Bracco). The guys discover that two corrupt cops (Philip Bosco, James Remar) are trying to kill Weitzman but nobody believes the four runaway mental patients.The four leads are a fun group of comedic actors. This is set up for a hilarious irreverent road trip. It doesn't always come together but there is some fun to be had. The writing is not that sharp but the guys are able to pull out a few laughs. After Weitzman is taken to the hospital, the guys split up for about fifteen minutes. That's not the best idea since building up their fun chemistry is half the battle. The cast's full potential is never fully realized.

It's been 3 weeks since 4 mental patients were taken off of their medication and the psychiatrist in charge of them has decided that it would be good therapy to take them into nearby New York City to see a Yankees baseball game. What he doesn't count on is being assaulted in an alley for witnessing a crime and being taken to a local hospital there while his 4 mental patients are left to their own devices. Neither does he realize that these 4 clinically insane individuals are all that stands between him and some rogue cops who are determined to tie up any and all loose ends by killing him. Now rather than reveal any more of this movie I will just say that this turned out to be a decent comedy all things considered. Although I was somewhat disappointed with the performance of Michael Keaton (as "Billy Caufield") he still managed to contribute some comic relief here and there so I suppose his talent wasn't totally wasted. On the other hand, I thought Stephen Furst (as "Albert Ianuzzi") was absolutely hilarious and in my opinion he essentially stole the show. In any case, despite its uneven nature I happened to like this movie and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Some ferocious talents - Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd, and Peter Boyle, supported by a talented cast - star in this comedy about four mental hospital patients who roam New York freely after their doctor is severely beaten. One of them (Keaton) has severe anger issues, another thinks he's a doctor (Lloyd), and one thinks he's Jesus Christ (Boyle) and constantly quotes the Bible. The fourth never talks. Their well-meaning psychiatrist (Dennis Boutsikaris) drives them to New York to attend a Yankees game. When he escorts Albert, the non-talker, into an alley to relieve himself, he witnesses two bad cops killing a third and is severely injured before the good-guy police arrive. Albert takes off, but he can't tell the others what happened. After waiting in the van for a while, they all leave for parts unknown. Boyle ends up in a revival meeting giving testimony as Jesus, Keaton looks up his old girlfriend (an almost unrecognizable Lorraine Bracco) - soon, two sets of police are looking for them - with different motives.Though I certainly enjoyed this film, I found it a little slow getting started, and felt it could have been funnier, though the very beginning is great. It does pick up, however, and the acting is superb all around. Keaton is great - one wonders what happened to his career, and why we don't see his lively presence as much in films nowadays. Lloyd manages to be so serious that it's funny but also has a poignant scene with his family. Boyle has the funniest role and he's absolutely hilarious. The ending is very sweet.The movie doesn't make any profound comments on mental disorders but does ask who's crazy in this world and what we're willing to believe about certain people. It also makes the point that by interaction and someone caring, disturbed people can start on the road to healing. Very good and well worth seeing.

This is a film that had the right elements,but a comedy about supposed mental patients is very difficult to pull off without it being insulting-this wasn't insulting-it just wasn't interesting, realistic, and for the exception of Michael Keaton, no one here was funny. Michael Keaton is great star who deserves a strong comeback.The story is about patients from a mental home who are on an outing, when their psychiatrist in charge is harmed after witnessing a murder, and the patients are left on their own. They ultimately discover the doctors situation, and must protect him from those still trying to kill him. Meanwhile authoroties are looking for them as suspects. If the plot seems dumb-well..it is. But humor and good writing can overcome that. This fails on every level except the acting-though Michael Keaton is the standout. Not even worth a DVD rental.