THE ROBIN WILLIAMS REVIEW

By Nate Lee

BEST FILM: Good Will Hunting The film had nine Oscar nominations, but who should actually win? Robin won for Best Supporting Actor, that’s who, along with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck winning for the screenplay.

GREAT PERFORMANCES YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN:

Dead Poets Society (Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated performance as a dynamic teacher in a ‘50s prep school)

The World According to Garp (the title everyman)

Awakenings (Golden Globe-nominated performance as a doctor in a psychiatric hospital, opposite Robert DeNiro)

The Fisher King (Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning performance as a homeless man, opposite Jeff Bridges)

Jumanji (a dad in the surreal game-movie)

The Aristocrats (one of many stand-ups telling the same joke)

The Best of Times (a guy trying to live down one bad high-school football play)

COMIC ROBIN:

Good Morning, Vietnam (Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning performance as the irreverent Army DJ, Adrian Cronauer)

Aladdin (the voice of the Genie)

Mrs. Doubtfire (Golden Globe-winning performance as the title character, a dad going transvestite in order to be with his kids)

Moscow on the Hudson (Golden Globe-nominated performance as a Russian defecting to the U.S.)

Flubber (the absent-minded professor)

Death to Smoochy (a children’s tv show host gone mad)

RV (a dad trying to connect with his kids on a trip in the title vehicle)

License to Wed (a minister with some unconventional methods for young couples)

ULTRA-SERIOUS ROBIN:

Insomnia (the bad guy, in an Alaska mystery, opposite Al Pacino)

One-Hour Photo (a disturbed worker, obsessed with one of his customers)

World’s Greatest Dad (a teacher capitalizing on his son’s death)

SENTIMENTAL ROBIN:

Jack (a ten-year-old who ages too quickly)

What Dreams May Come (a doctor who must go from heaven to hell to retrieve his wife)

Patch Adams (Golden Globe-nominated performance as a doctor with a clown nose)

August Rush (a homeless guy trying to take advantage of a runaway musical prodigy)

Bicentennial Man (a robot who wants to be human)

Dead Poets Society

This break-out film (only two years after “Good Morning, Vietnam”) was truly brought home with the startling dramatic performance by Robin. He couldn’t have been better, and one can only assume that the world’s foremost improviser must have made quite a few contributions to the Academy Award-winning script.

BLOCKBUSTERS:

Hook (Peter Pan)

Good Will Hunting (Golden Globe-nominated and Oscar-winning performance as Matt Damon’s therapist)

Night at the Museum (Teddy Roosevelt)

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (King of the Moon)

THE REAL ROBIN:

Mrs. Doubtfire

A guy whose determination and talent have brought him through drug addiction and other self-inflicted problems (remember, he was the guy with John Belushi on the night of his death). Also, Robin is a serious guy who is more comfortable when he’s not in his own skin. Speaking of which, his performance as the Genie in Disney’s “Aladdin” should also be considered the real Robin (if we included voice acting here, that is).

ACTING STYLE:

Even though he won his Oscar for a relatively low-key performance as Matt Damon’s unconventional therapist in “Good Will Hunting,” Robin is at his best most of the time when the script lets him let loose with his trademark manic style. Many of his other great performances come from converting the mania into a quiet intensity. He also puts more life, again ironically, into his monologues than virtually any American actor.

BITS AND QUIRKS:

The fast talk, often accompanied by jittery body movements, particularly flailing arms. Quick dips into his stable of a couple dozen voices. A smile that makes his eyes sparkle and a strange frown where his mouth seems to disappear. A scary intense stare.

GREAT SCENES:

THE DEAD POETS SOCIETY

The “carpe diem” speech in the first class > Tearing the introduction out of the book > Mixing soccer with poetry > Everyone stands on the teacher’s desk to get a new look at things > The “conformity” speech in the courtyard > Standing on the desks at the end.

MRS. DOUBTFIRE

The showdown at the restaurant > The swimming pool scene > The talk show

GOOD WILL HUNTING

The therapy sessions, particularly where Williams threatens Damon > At the bar, with the professor

WHAT DREAMS MAY COME

the magnificent heaven scenes.

THE FISHER KING

Saving Jeff Bridges > Revealing his connection with Bridges and how his wife died

GARP

The plane in the house > the opening credits > the scenes with a transvestite John Lithgow

IF YOU LIKE HIM, YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T LIKE:

Popeye

Father’s Day

GO TO THE... ROBIN WILLIAMS BIO