# Worst Robin Williams movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951 "2004-01-31T21:40:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/61 "2004-02-03T12:47:53Z")
> [@Sublight](#): > > I own this one and I don’t recall any sperm cell scenes. Maybe **JackaRoe** (neat name, btw) is thinking of Burt Reynolds in _Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (\*But Were Afraid to Ask)_\*. ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/62 "2004-02-03T13:47:36Z")
I don’t think people give Williams enough credit for the chances he takes in his choice of movies. There isn’t another major actor in Hollywood who has been in as many movies that discard the Hollywood formula for filmmaking. A lot of his movies are odd and therefore have a limited audience. Sure he has made some mainstream stinkers, but what actor has not? He has also been in some of the most unusual movies to make it into the local multiplex in the last 20 years. I would much rather that all of Hollywood had the same track record as far as good vs. bad as Williams as long as they also had the same ratio of standard vs. inventive. I get really tired of seeing the same movie released 5-6 times a year under different names. When you see a Williams movie, good or bad, you can usually at least count on at least seeing something different. (Notice the “usually” and please don’t feel the need to point out the movies he has been in that are formulaic. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/63 "2004-02-03T16:50:30Z")
> [@Degrance](#): > > I don’t think people give Williams enough credit for the chances he takes in his choice of movies. There isn’t another major actor in Hollywood who has been in as many movies that discard the Hollywood formula for filmmaking. A lot of his movies are odd and therefore have a limited audience. I think we are giving him about as much credit as he deserves, or a little more. After a point, it is not taking chances as much as very bad choice in scripts. _Moscow on the Hudson_ was good. _Aladdin_ was good. Everything else he has been in is either seriously flawed (like _Good Morning, Viet Nam_)or utter crap (like _Mrs. Doubtfire_, which struck me as a self-indulgent rationalization for dumping your wife in favor of the baby-sitter and pretending you did it for the benefit of your children). Or they are unwatchable, like _What Dreams May Come_. Look, he is probably one of the best stand-up comics of all time (second only to Richard Pryor). But he cannot choose a good script, or will not work with directors who can stop him from chewing the scenery. A little nuance once in a while is a Good Thing. My $.02 worth. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/64 "2004-02-04T00:58:15Z")
That’s an awfully sweeping statement, **Shodan** , about an awfully long list of films. Are you saying that every single one of his films except _Aladdin_ and _Moscow on the Hudson_ was “either seriously flawed or utter crap?” Have you even seen _Insomnia_? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/65 "2004-02-04T01:26:32Z")
> [@Odinoneeye](#): > > What Dreams May Come is a movie for people who really like to watch movies. My wife was in the “One of the worst films ever” group until she saw it with me and I educated her on it. “People who really like to watch movies?” As opposed to what? People who really like to taste movies? > [@Shodan](#): > > like Mrs. Doubtfire, which struck me as a self-indulgent rationalization for dumping your wife in favor of the baby-sitter and pretending you did it for the benefit of your children. Could you expand on that? I don’t see how you could possibly get that interpretation from that movie. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/66 "2004-02-04T04:11:54Z")
> [@seriousart](#): > > … > > I’m surprised no one’s menitoned The Fisher King. I’m a pretty big fan of that one. Rather underrated flick by one of my favorite directors, Terry Gilliam. > > … > > While I thought the film itself was pretty mediocre, he did put a really good performance in One Hour Photo. Playing very much against character, he proved he had acting chops in that one. Well I can’t speak for anyone else but I didn’t mention these two movies in the OP because the thread is about his worst movie and I thought these two were generally highly regarded. Of the two I only saw Fisher King and mostly thought it could have lost 20 minutes or so and been a better movie for it. Maybe if Gilliam had gotten rid of an ending or two… Re: Kentucky Fried Movie, IMDB doesn’t mention Williams as being in that one at all **JackaRoe**. Maybe you are thinking of a different actor? ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/67 "2004-02-04T08:49:14Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > (like _Mrs. Doubtfire_, which struck me as a self-indulgent rationalization for dumping your wife in favor of the baby-sitter and pretending you did it for the benefit of your children). Hmm, that one must have been like _Clue_, where they showed different endings at different showings. 'Coz in the version I saw, _she_ kicked _him_ out for being a goober, and he dressed up like an old woman because it was the only way he could spend more time with his kids. They didn’t even have a babysitter until the divorce. So, was the babysitter in your version really hot? ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/68 "2006-06-20T19:26:47Z")
My take? Anything with Robin Williams is terrible, with the one possible exception being Insomnia…not a great movie, but at least he didn’t make it worse. I know Robin Williams is an acquired taste, but man! “I’m jumping around over here…now I’m jumping around over there…now I’m making crazy faces…now I’m talking really fast…now a squeaky voice…now a low voice…now a…” SHUT UP!!! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/69 "2006-06-20T19:33:03Z")
BRAIIINS! You really have to _look_ for 2 year old threads to resurrect. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/70 "2006-06-20T19:50:20Z")
Well, in all fairness, Williams has since made _The Final Cut, House of D, Robots_ and _RV_, so there are plenty of new candidates… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/71 "2006-06-20T19:52:45Z")
> [@cuauhtemoc](#): > > I once thought I’d like to see _The Fisher King_. Was that any good? Yes, it was, but the big stylistic fingerprints on that one were Terry Gilliam’s, not Robin Williams’. Interestingly enough, the movie Williams has slagged the most has been his best, **Aladdin.** Referring to a financial dispute with Disney, he said “The Mouse can’t pick up a check. That’s why he only has three fingers.” I’ve gotta say **Robots** was a disappointment generally, and Williams in it was a disappointment specifically. Movies he was actually quite good in: **Shakes the Clown Adventures of Baron Munchhausen** (Uncredited) **Dead AgainWorld According to Garp** (If there was a problem, he wasn’t it) **The Birdcage** (I particularly enjoyed his delivery of the line “Save room for coffee!”) ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/72 "2006-06-20T19:54:08Z")
_Popeye_, you unappreciative of Segar’s Thimble-Theatre tasteless Philistines, is an _excellent_ movie. Next to Leon Isaac Kennedy in the _Penitentiary_ series, it is my all-time favorite guilty pleasure. Look! There’s Dennis Franz as one of the Roughhouse Boys! Did you know the Sweethaven set is tourist attraction? I even like Olive Oyl singing Bluto’s praises: “He’s Large.” No one else gets the double entendre there? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/73 "2006-06-20T20:09:49Z")
This will get locked any minute, I’m sure, but while it’s here: I have some friends who really like _Death to Smoochy_. I wish that I could explain to them why instead of being funny, because it almost is, the film has some structural flaws and this deeply unpleasant feeling behind it that leave it creepy and confused. And it’s not just Jon Stewart’s haircut. Oh yeah- and since it’s in part a sendup of Barney the Dinosaur, the thing was made at least five years too late. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/74 "2006-06-20T20:58:47Z")
Most of the Robin Williams movies I’ve seen I’d put on about the same level–nice stories starring a great actor, that are unfortunately rather thin. I’ve seen _What Dreams May Come_–it was my first year of university and we were reading the [i[Divine Comedy\* so someone thought this would be a good movie to tie into that. It was like reading Dante only without all the profound thoughts that make it worth reading. Now I’m thinking I should go re-watch _Alladin_. At least that doesn’t pretend to be more profound than it is. ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/75 "2006-06-20T21:17:55Z")
_What Dreams May Come_ had a cool visual style, and that’s all I remember about it. I actually fell asleep. Incredibly boring. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/76 "2006-06-20T22:16:04Z")
\*\*Jumanji \*\* has the distinctly creepy plot element, of a Great White Hunter stalking 2 little kids with an elephant gun. Other than that…it’s not very good. But RW isn’t the problem. Odd that RW’s best work seems to be his non-comedies: Dead Poets, Good Will Hunting, Insomnia, One Hour Photo. Plus Aladdin. So I guess he’s fine, unless he’s on camera being funny. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/77 "2006-06-20T22:28:45Z")
> [@Jayn\_Newell](#): > > Most of the Robin Williams movies I’ve seen I’d put on about the same level–nice stories starring a great actor, that are unfortunately rather thin. Talented comedian, maybe, but “great actor?” ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/78 "2006-06-20T22:35:22Z")
I think “Awakenings” was Robin William’s best movie. I’ve never seen another movie that did a better job of making you understand what it’s like to be a scientist/doctor. And Robin Williams did a great job portraying Oliver Sacks. A really unappreciated movie, and he never uses a single funny voice! I have a theory that Robin Williams and Jim Carrey and similar talented but rudderless actors shouldn’t be allowed to chose their own movies, but rather roles should be chosen for them and they should be forced to perform at gunpoint. ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/79 "2006-06-20T22:35:40Z")
My impression of the movies I’ve seen: **Robin Williams is not the main attraction:** Artificial Intelligence: AI - Not Good Hamlet - Good, but he had a small role, a good director, and the writer wasn’t bad either. Aladdin - This is his immortality FernGully: The Last Rainforest - Straight to video before there was straight to video Dead Again - I still love the movie Adventures of Baron Munchausen - OK movie, but I don’t remember him in it (It has been a while) **Robin WIlliams as Mr. Sensative:** Jakob the Liar - OK, but paled compared to the very similar _Life Is Beautiful_ Patch Adams - Complete & utter waste of celuloid What Dreams May Come - I didn’t love it, but I liked it better than most people here, it seems Good Will Hunting - Hated it, and I didn’t understand the love from critics Jack - interesting idea, they just needed a story to go with it Being Human - OK, when does the story start? Mrs. Doubtfire - Not the best, but far from the worst Toys - Not good, but beter than the reviews here, IMHO, and LL stole the show Awakenings - bored me into a coma Dead Poets Society - Hated it, hated that so many seemed to love it **Just fun, family movies:** Flubber - Good for what it was Jumanji - Not great, but not in "I want my money back territory Hook - Saw it, liked it, and continue to like it Popeye - I liked it better than most **And the rest** Cadillac Man - Saw it, didn’t throw anything at my tv screen, but I wouldn’t watch it again Good Morning, Vietnam - Liked it, but didn’t understand the acclaim it recieved (Except for the soundtrack, which was groundbreaking in its way) Club Paradise - Bad Survivors - at least he was trying to be funny. Garp - Didn’t like it, no sir **And the worst (just barely beating out Patch Adams)** Moscow on the Hudson - He took a Yacov Smirnoff routine and took what little was funny in it out, for almost two hours. It was early in his movie career, but a definite sign that there were bad movies to come. Patch Adams does deserve honorable mention for helping perpetuate the fraud started by the subject of the film. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951/80 "2006-06-20T22:39:35Z")
Oh, and “Mrs. Doubtfire” has gotta be the worst Robin Williams movie I’ve ever seen. Just stomach-churningly awful. But I haven’t seen “Patch Adams” and never plan to. I hated “Dead Poet’s Society” too, but it became a little bit less awful when someone explained to me the subtext…the teacher was fucking the kid who commits suicide. Now at least the movie makes sense. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-robin-williams-movie/226951.md?page=5)