What Is Patrick About?
The premise of Patrick in 256 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a stark, white‑walled clinic tucked into the heart of Melbourne, a quiet experiment in modern medicine becomes a crucible for the uncanny. The Roget Clinic prides itself on clinical precision, yet beneath its polished surface hums a persistent sense of unease, as if the very air is waiting for something to break through the routine. Shadows linger in corridors where the ordinary collides with the inexplicable, creating a mood that feels both sterile and subtly charged with latent menace.
The story centers on Patrick, a young man whose body has been sustained in a coma for years, and Kathy Jacquard, the nurse assigned to his care after an uneasy interview. Matron Cassidy runs the ward with a calm authority that steadies the staff, while Dr. Roget, the clinic’s enigmatic proprietor, offers philosophical musings about the boundary between life and death. Occasional whispers from Captain Fraser, another patient, hint at odd nocturnal disturbances that deepen the atmosphere of mystery. Together, these characters navigate a delicate balance between professional duty and the growing sense that something beyond ordinary science is at play.
Within this tightly controlled environment, the possibility that Patrick can influence the world around him through unseen forces creates a palpable tension. The clinic’s routine procedures become a backdrop for subtle, unnerving occurrences that suggest a mind far more active than his silent body. As Kathy strives to understand her patient’s strange presence, the interplay of curiosity, authority, and hidden power pulls everyone into a quiet, psychological suspense that lingers long after the lights dim.
What Happens in Patrick?
The complete story of Patrick, from the first scene to the last, in 784 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
Patrick [Robert Thompson] lies in a coma three years after the chilling incident that ended his parents’ lives, recovering at the Roget Clinic, a private hospital tucked into Melbourne’s medical landscape. The clinic is run with clinical efficiency by Matron Cassidy [Julia Blake], whose steady presence anchors the ward even as shadows of doubt creep in. Kathy Jacquard [Susan Penhaligon], recently hired as Patrick’s nurse after a tense interview, finds herself navigating a fragile balance between care and wonder. The hospital’s enigmatic owner, Dr. Roget [Robert Helpmann], explains Patrick’s condition in philosophical terms, suggesting that the living and the dead are being watched through the life of a patient kept alive to probe the boundaries of existence. The quiet is broken by whispers of Captain Fraser [Walter Pym], another patient who claims Patrick “flies in and out of the window at night,” a notion that unsettles everyone in the white-walled corridors.
Behind the antiseptic hush, Patrick reveals powers that defy explanation. He demonstrates psychokinetic abilities, moving objects when Cassidy is present and even attempting to drown Dr. Wright [Bruce Barry] at a pool party, a grim test of control and intention. Kathy, drawn to understand the strange tide of Patrick’s consciousness, finds herself involuntarily drawn into his subtle form of communication. At first, it seems he can reach her through a strange, almost ritualistic spitting, and then, with a grim finality, Patrick uses the room’s typewriter to spell out his name, a bold message that suggests a will that refuses to be quiet. The moment becomes more unsettling when Kathy discovers that Patrick is trying to “speak” through the very act of writing; the word SECRET appears after the room has been left, a clue that invites deeper scrutiny rather than simple fear.
The personal is never far from the professional at Roget Clinic. Kathy returns to her apartment to find it rummaged through, a sign that Patrick’s reach extends beyond his room. Ed Jacquard [Rod Mullinar], her ex-husband, is a source of tension and concern, even as he maintains he’s unrelated to the hospital’s odd disturbances. The hospital’s quiet descent into the uncanny continues as Patrick’s manipulation grows bolder: he channels his powers through Kathy to push a lewd message, and even to perform an algebraic calculation on the typewriter that she cannot decipher. The power dynamics intensify when Ed, drawn into the hospital’s orbit by Patrick’s influence, is lured into a broken lift and trapped inside, an ominous reminder of how Patrick’s reach can trap the living in his gravity.
Kathy’s suspicions about Patrick intensify as she and Brian Wright [Bruce Barry] seek legitimate avenues to test and understand his abilities. Cassidy, wary of the implications of such theories, warns Kathy against entertaining the idea of a conscious life beyond Patrick’s coma. Yet Roget—occupying a position of authority—orders treatment that heightens the tension, including a round of electroconvulsive therapy that becomes a dramatic focal point when Patrick uses the situation to convey that the hospital staff are trying to kill him. The nocturnal search for truth leads Kathy and Brian to the hospital after dark, where they encounter the dangers and temptations of meddling with forces they barely comprehend. Patrick, in a final, chilling act, compels Cassidy to return to the hospital and uses strobe lights to destabilize the environment. In a fateful turn, he possesses Cassidy and drives her to a fatal, electrical end in the basement, a moment that casts a long shadow over the investigation and leaves a frightened nurse staring down a doorway.
The investigation grinds forward, and Detective Sergeant Grant [not linked here] is drawn into the case, pressed to consider the possibility that Patrick’s abilities are more than mere superstition. Kathy, insisting on the truth, presses Grant to listen to Brian’s scientific perspective, only to have both men discount her claims that Patrick murdered the matron. The crisis widens when Ed disappears from the hospital’s orbit, a disappearance that becomes a thread the investigators cannot ignore. A confrontation follows: Patrick uses his powers to attack Roget when Roget attempts to administer a lethal potassium chloride injection, forcing Kathy to make an agonizing choice. The scene culminates in a desperate moment where Kathy must decide whether to inject Patrick or let Ed die. She chooses to act, and Ed arrives just in time to interrupt the procedure and save her. Patrick appears to flatline, only to leap back to life in a display that suggests a motor reflex rather than a final end. As Kathy closes Patrick’s eyes and leaves the room, Roget interprets the resurgence as a sign that the power remains, lingering in the clinic’s sterile air, waiting for the next breath to be drawn.
Patrick Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Patrick is admitted and Kathy becomes nurse” to “Ed arrives to save Kathy; Patrick's apparent death then revival”. 14 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Patrick is admitted and Kathy becomes nurse
Patrick is admitted in a coma at Roget Clinic after the murder of his parents. Kathy is hired as his nurse following a job interview. Dr. Roget explains Patrick's condition as part of a study on life and death.
Where:Roget Clinic, Melbourne
- 2
Patrick demonstrates powers and endangers a colleague at the pool
Patrick reveals his psychokinetic abilities by moving objects in Cassidy's presence. He then attempts to drown Dr. Brian Wright during a pool party, demonstrating how easily he can harm when agitated.
Where:Roget Clinic pool area
- 3
Patrick controls Kathy to write his name
Kathy tries typing a memo in Patrick's room, but he takes over her movements and causes her to write his name. The incident shows that he can control a person physically while remaining unseen.
Where:Roget Clinic, Patrick's room
- 4
Kathy's apartment is ransacked; Ed denies involvement
Kathy returns home to find her apartment ransacked. Ed denies any wrongdoing, confusing Kathy and straining their relationship.
Where:Kathy's apartment
- 5
Ed burns his hands on a hot casserole
Ed handles a hot casserole dish at Kathy's apartment and severely burns his hands, but he claims he didn't feel a thing. The incident hints at his odd reaction to events surrounding Patrick.
Where:Kathy's apartment
- 6
One night: Patrick communicates through Kathy's typing
During a night, Patrick possesses Kathy while she types and uses her to convey a lewd and threatening message. He also directs the typewriter to spell an algebra equation she does not recognize.
When:one night Where:Kathy's apartment / Patrick's room
- 7
Cassidy warns Kathy about pursuing Patrick's consciousness
Cassidy catches Kathy but warns her not to pursue theories about Patrick's consciousness as she continues caring for him. She remains skeptical but allows continued observation.
Where:Roget Clinic
- 8
Roget orders Patrick examined; ECT performed
Kathy requests that Patrick be examined; Cassidy sacks Kathy from the case. Roget subjects Patrick to electroconvulsive therapy, and Patrick uses the typewriter to claim the hospital staff are trying to kill him.
Where:Roget Clinic
- 9
Kathy and Brian investigate at night; strobe lights used
Kathy and Brian sneak into the hospital at night to examine Patrick. They subject him to strobe lights to provoke a response, hoping to observe any evidence of his powers.
When:night Where:Roget Clinic
- 10
Cassidy dies after Patrick possesses her
Patrick possesses Cassidy and causes her to fatally electrocute herself in the basement after they visit, terrifying the hospital staff. Kathy witnesses the event as the investigation unfolds.
Where:Hospital basement
Show the other 4 events of Patrick Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Investigation begins; Grant questions Kathy
Kathy is questioned by Detective Sergeant Grant about Cassidy's death. She persuades Grant to speak with Brian about Patrick's abilities, but both men remain skeptical.
Where:Roget Clinic / hospital
- 12
Ed missing; car towed
Kathy learns that Ed is missing. Grant confirms that Ed's car was towed from outside the hospital, deepening the mystery around his involvement.
Where:Outside Roget Clinic
- 13
Patrick attacks Roget; choice demanded
Patrick uses his powers to attack Roget during an injection attempt with potassium chloride. He forces Kathy into a brutal choice: inject him or let Ed die, a choice she reluctantly makes.
Where:Roget Clinic room
- 14
Ed arrives to save Kathy; Patrick's apparent death then revival
Ed arrives just in time to save Kathy as Patrick's power surge continues. Patrick appears to flatline, then leaps from his bed, and awakens again when Kathy closes his eyes.
Where:Roget Clinic room
Who Are the Main Characters in Patrick?
10 characters, among them Patrick (Robert Thompson), Matron Cassidy (Julia Blake) and Dr. Roget (Robert Helpmann): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- P(
Patrick (Robert Thompson)
Played by Robert Thompson
A coma patient with psychokinetic powers who can travel out of his body and influence the world around him. He demonstrates his abilities by moving objects, writing on surfaces, and manipulating people from a distance, revealing a consciousness that unsettles the hospital staff. His communications with Kathy are eerie and increasingly erratic, culminating in the revelation that he is more than just a patient.
- 🔮 Psychic
- 🧠 Mind-control
- ⚖️ Ethical questions
- MC
Matron Cassidy (Julia Blake)
Played by Julia Blake
Head of the Roget Clinic, she is stern and skeptical of Patrick’s consciousness, insisting on rational explanations. As Patrick’s powers escalate, she becomes entangled in the hospital’s dangerous dynamics and ultimately dies during his possession. Her authority and reluctance to entertain non-scientific explanations frame the tension between care and control.
- 💼 Authority
- 🏥 Hospital
- ⚖️ Ethical questions
-
Dr. Roget (Robert Helpmann)
Played by Robert Helpmann
Owner of the Roget Clinic and chief architect of its life/death experiments. He treats Patrick as a research subject rather than a patient and pushes for ever-riskier methods to probe the boundaries of life and consciousness. His pursuit of answers frequently overrides ethical concerns, highlighting the dangers of unbridled scientific ambition.
- 💼 Authority
- 🧪 Experimentation
- 🔬 Medical
- KJ
Kathy Jacquard (Susan Penhaligon)
Played by Susan Penhaligon
Patrick’s nurse who believes in his powers and challenges the hospital’s dismissal of her claims. She becomes emotionally and professionally entangled in the case, advocating for Patrick and risking her career as she navigates institutional skepticism. She ultimately faces a harrowing choice that tests her ethics and resolve.
- 🧠 Investigator
- 🩺 Nurse
- 🔬 Research
- C(
Captain (Walter Pym)
Played by Walter Pym
A patient who hints at Patrick’s nocturnal flights and mysterious abilities, underscoring the eerie atmosphere of the hospital and suggesting a broader, hidden life Patrick may possess.
- 🧭 Mystery
- 🏥 Hospital
- EJ
Ed Jacquard (Rod Mullinar)
Played by Rod Mullinar
Kathy’s ex-husband who becomes a focal point for Patrick’s manipulation. He is lured into danger at the hospital and the dramatic conflict surrounding him raises personal stakes amid the medical drama.
- 💔 Relationship
- 🕳️ Danger
- 🏥 Hospital
- DB
Dr. Brian Wright (Bruce Barry)
Played by Bruce Barry
A physician who flirts with Kathy and questions the treatment of Patrick. He joins Kathy in investigating Patrick’s powers, challenging the hospital’s leadership and contributing to the moral debate surrounding Patrick’s fate.
- 💊 Medicine
- 🧭 Skepticism
- 🏥 Hospital
- NP
Nurse Panicale (Maria Mercedes)
Played by María Mercedes
A Roget Clinic nurse drawn into the escalating events around Patrick, representing the day-to-day care perspective within the hospital’s troubled environment.
- 🩺 Nurse
- 👩⚕️ Care
- SW
Sister Williams (Helen Hemingway)
Played by Helen Hemingway
A hospital sister who embodies the institutional perspective and participates in the surveillance and management of Patrick’s case, illustrating the everyday mechanisms of control inside the clinic.
- 🕊️ Faith
- ⚖️ Ethics
- PM
Patrick's Mother (Carole-Ann Aylett)
Played by Carole-Ann Aylett
The mother of Patrick, appearing as a humanizing thread amid the clinical drama and reminding viewers of the personal stakes behind the experiments.
- 👪 Family
- 🥀 Drama
Where and When Is Patrick Set?
Patrick is set in Melbourne and Roget Clinic (Private Hospital) (Late 1970s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Late 1970s
The events unfold in the late 1970s Melbourne setting, a time when hospitals used contemporary therapies and private clinics proliferated. The era's technology—typewriters, poolside scenes, and electroconvulsive therapy—gives the story a clinical but unsettling atmosphere. This period frames the characters' attitudes toward life, death, and the limits of medical authority.
Where
Melbourne, Roget Clinic (Private Hospital)
The story unfolds in Melbourne at the Roget Clinic, a private hospital run by Dr. Roget. The clinic sits within the urban landscape and is depicted as a modern medical facility with private rooms, a pool, and a research wing. It functions as both a place of care and a site of experimental life/death inquiry, shaping the tension of the narrative.
- 🏥 Melbourne
- 🗺️ City setting
- 🧪 Medical environment
- 🕯️ Mystery
What Are the Themes of Patrick?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Consciousness, Power and Institution.
-
01
Consciousness
Patrick's psychokinetic abilities challenge the boundaries between mind and body. He can travel outside his body, move objects, and communicate in unconventional ways. The hospital staff dismiss these phenomena as hallucinations, forcing Kathy to confront a reality that defies conventional science. The theme explores what it means to be conscious and whether awareness endures beyond the body.
-
02
Power
Dr. Roget, as hospital owner, wields authority to conduct experiments on Patrick, treating him as a subject rather than a patient. The staff's hesitations clash with Roget's control, creating a tension between scientific curiosity and ethical boundaries. Kathy's efforts to advocate for Patrick clash with institutional power, illustrating how authority can override compassion. The theme examines who holds power over life and death and the dangers of unchecked control.
-
03
Institution
The Roget Clinic operates as a closed ecosystem where secrecy and private interest govern care. Hospital life, with its procedures and surveillance, isolates Patrick and the staff from ordinary moral accountability. The tragedy of Cassidy's death and the threats to Kathy highlight the consequences of treating patients as experiments. The theme probes the tensions between healing, secrecy, and the toll of institutional pressure.
What Kind of Film Is Patrick?
Tense in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Ambiguous
An intensely tense and claustrophobic horror film that builds a steady sense of dread as a nurse is psychologically tormented by a comatose patient with deadly telekinetic powers in a sterile, oppressive hospital.
- claustrophobic
- unsettling
- paranoid
- oppressive
- anxious
- darkly atmospheric
- supernatural power
- medical horror
- psychological manipulation
- possession
Content notes: murder, death by electrocution, psychological torment, medical experimentation, possession.
Quiz
How well do you remember Patrick? Test yourself on the story.
