Top 20 Best Robin Williams Movies
#20: "Popeye" (1980)
Robin Williams transitioned from stand-up comedian to “Mork & Mindy” T.V. star in 1978. Two years later, he made his feature film debut in “Popeye.” Hollywood icon Robert Altman helmed the live action adaptation of the famous cartoon. Juxtaposing musical numbers with slapstick comedy, “Popeye” is a rather uneven effort by Altman. But, there are few actors in movie history with the comic chops of Robin Williams. He made absolute mincemeat of the physical comedy and the film did well at the box office, even though it wasn’t a blockbuster. To this day, its decades-long home video run has made it a cult classic.
#19: "Death to Smoochy" (2002)
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Imagine if the actors on “Sesame Street” went to war with Barney the Dinosaur. That, essentially, is the plot of the 2002 comedy, “Death to Smoochy.” Williams’ Rainbow Randolph is an alcoholic children’s television star who falls from grace after taking a bribe. When he spirals and loses it all, he blames his replacement, Smoochy, for ruining his life. Williams is at his most hilariously deranged in this revenge comedy. “Death to Smoochy’s” great sin is that it was probably made a decade too early. The clever, acerbic, cynical comedy that was slammed by critics at the time has become a staple of modern comedy.
#18: “Hook” (1991)
What would happen if Peter Pan gave up on Neverland and decided to grow up? Well, you might end up with Robin Williams as the portrayal of his grown-up self, for one. (We’ll take it!) Stephen Spielberg directs an all-star cast with Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook and Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell. Even Glenn Close got an uncredited cameo as a bearded pirate! Williams is in his sweet spot in “Hook” with fast-talking humor, physical comedy, and a ton of heart. His Peter Pan is a victim of modern adulthood; he’s fallen prey to the grind at the expense of his own family and happiness. It’s a sweet story about Peter rediscovering his inner child to save his son from generational trauma.
#17: “What Dreams May Come” (1998)
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“What Dreams May Come” is an intensely emotional adaptation of the Richard Matheson novel. Robin Williams plays Chris Nielsen, a pediatrician who meets artist Annie Collins and falls in love. Years later, the couple lose their son and daughter in a tragic car accident. Chris, too, eventually dies in another accident. His confused spirit lingers, accidentally tormenting Annie with his presence. Eventually, Chris reaches his own personal heaven. But, when he discovers that Annie has also died and is suffering from her guilt, he descends like Dante to save her. The film is a visually stunning masterpiece. Williams handles the dark subject matter with heartbreaking sincerity. If you want to catch up on “What Dreams May Come,” don’t forget the tissues.
#16: "Night at the Museum" (2006)
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While the “Night at the Museum” franchise continues to grow, the original featured Ben Stiller as a late night security guard in a history museum magically come to life. Robin Williams plays his sidekick and mentor, the statue of Teddy Roosevelt. “Night at the Museum” is a solid family comedy. While it wasn’t a big hit with critics, it’s hard to find fault whenever Teddy appears to help. Robin tackled the role with his typical brand of straight laughs tinged with pathos and there are real layers to a character that anyone else could have easily written off. Teddy centered the film and Robin’s rapport with Ben Stiller kept the franchise going for a full trilogy.
#15: “Happy Feet” (2006)
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Since his time as a student at Juilliard, people were blown away by Robin Williams’ accents and voice work. Luckily, his multiple turns in animation allowed him to go nuts with wild voices. “Happy Feet” is a great example of this, with Williams playing a slew of characters; namely, Ramón, Cletus, Lovelace, and the narrator. The joy he gets from doing voices is clear in every frame. His characters are equally ridiculous despite really feeling like different people. It’s a great coming-of-age film for young kids with plenty of laughs for their parents.
#14: “Jumanji” (1995)
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Twenty years before The Rock tackled the dangers of Jumanji with big grins and bigger muscles, Robin Williams did it with a cape made of leaves and one heck of a beard. “Jumanji” was a big deal for ‘90s kids. It was an adventure story—one that felt like it’d never been done before and quickly cemented itself as a classic. With his typical blend of laughs and real emotion, Williams' genuine vibe helps audiences tap into their own fear centers. Whether running from animatronic lions or CGI monkeys, Williams’ Alan Parrish acts and reacts totally genuinely in every situation. He isn’t an action star; he’s a relatable everyman in a crazy situation, a feat that really set this fantasy adventure apart.
#13: "The World According to Garp" (1982)
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After doing “Popeye,” Robin decided to pivot and take on the titular role in the drama “The World According to Garp.” It’s a satirical melodrama that covers a man’s entire life, from his unusual beginnings to his bittersweet end. Garp is the son of Jenny Fields, a feminist icon played by Glenn Close in her feature debut. The film is a fascinating window into modern American history, taking on politics, gender, and gender identity. Unlike many films of the era, it actually holds up really well years later. Both Garp and his mother face violent political radicalization, a theme that resonates even more in the age of social media.
#12: "Moscow on the Hudson" (1984)
In “Moscow on the Hudson,” Robin plays Vladimir Ivanoff, a musician with the Moscow circus who defects on a trip to New York City. The film is an earnest examination of immigration, politics, and loneliness. Vlad struggles to survive in the Soviet Union, so when his circus performs in New York, he takes the opportunity to escape. But, life in New York in the 1980s wasn’t so easy. Vlad grapples with the language barrier and tries to find work and love. He’s even, at one point, violently mugged. “Moscow on the Hudson” is a very particular slice of life, but its story is universal.
#11: "One Hour Photo" (2002)
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In “One Hour Photo,” Robin Williams cranks the creep factor up to eleven. Before the age of digital photography, almost every strip mall in America had a one-hour photo. Williams is Sy, a photo lab technician who becomes obsessed with the lives of his customers. He lives vicariously through their photos, fantasizing that he’s a part of their lives. Sy’s obsession takes a dark turn as he begins to stalk the Yorkin family. The Chicago Sun-Times praised Williams’ ability to portray such an “open-faced, smiling [madman].” Though he’s played villains before - and since - “One Hour Photo” is arguably Robin’s darkest character.
#10: "Awakenings" (1990)
Unlike many Robin Williams characters, Doctor Sayer in “Awakenings” isn’t particularly funny. He’s a shy doctor utterly dedicated to helping catatonic patients. His fellow doctors and nurses, though, treat patients as little more than furniture. Sayer tests an exciting new drug on one of his patients, Robert De Niro’s Leonard. When Leonard wakes up from his catatonia, the test is expanded to other patients. The results are temporary, and each patient eventually falls back into their original state. It’s a sad ending, but Sayer manages to find the silver lining; he teaches his colleagues - and the audience - to remember to see the humanity in everyone.
#9: "World's Greatest Dad" (2009)
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“World’s Greatest Dad” is a unique comedy in Robin Williams’ filmography. Similar to “Dear Evan Hansen,” his character stumbles into fame through the death of another. When his son dies in an embarrassing accident, he stages the body and writes a note. In the aftermath, he and his son receive the attention he’s always desired as a struggling writer. The film was Robin Williams’ first collaboration with his long-time friend, director Bobcat Goldthwait. Goldthwait was initially worried about the awkwardness of directing one of his best friends but as, it turned out, they worked well together in a professional setting too. Though the film flopped at the box office, it was well-reviewed by critics.
#8: "The Fisher King" (1991)
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“The Fisher King” begins with a focus on Jeff Bridges’ character, a radio shock jock. His careless words inspire real-life violence. One night, he faces a truly dark night of the soul walking the streets of New York City, where he’s mugged and then saved by Robin Williams’ Parry, a mentally ill man living on the streets. Parry believes he is a knight on a quest for the Holy Grail. The two strike up an unlikely friendship, helping each other climb out of a pit of grief and guilt. At the end, their bond allows them each to find forgiveness. While the subject matter is dark, the film is a meditation on hope and redemption. Robin Williams received his third Oscar nomination for Parry.
#7: "The Birdcage" (1996)
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It’s hard to argue that any Robin Williams film had more long term impact than “The Birdcage.” The movie is a remake of the French and Italian classic, La Cage aux Folles. Armand is a gay drag club owner in South Beach. His son returns home to tell his dad that he’s engaged. Unfortunately, his fiancée is the daughter of a conservative senator. Before hosting the senator, Armand must learn to pretend to be a heteronormative family. Comedy gold ensues. “The Birdcage” was one of the first major films to help normalize gay relationships and families in America. It tells us “being macho” isn’t the only way to be a good man, and that love is love. The ripples of that impact still resonate today.
#6: "Insomnia" (2002)
“Insomnia” is another film where Williams gets to show off his bad guy bona fides. Directed by Chris Nolan, “Insomnia” is a remake of a Norwegian thriller. Robin plays Finch, a murderous crime writer in a game of cat-and-mouse with Al Pacino, an LAPD detective. The two circle and chase each other, neither entirely good or bad. The backdrop is a land of midnight sun in a remote Alaskan town. Critics were impressed by how well Williams held his own across from a heavyweight like Al Pacino. It’s clear where Chris Nolan learned to cast actors against type. It’s a skill he would employ again six years later with Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight.”
#5: "Good Morning, Vietnam" (1987)
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Thanks to “M*A*S*H*”, “Good Morning, Vietnam” found a receptive audience for an irreverent military comedy. Williams stars as Adrian Cronauer, an airman who wins over American troops as a disc jockey during the Vietnam War. Beloved by enlisted men and despised by his superiors, Cronauer makes a big splash. His superiors eventually try to get him killed by routing him through a hot zone. "Good Morning, Vietnam” explores how to maintain personal integrity and real friendship during war. Williams was universally praised and received his first ever Oscar nomination. Plus, the movie has a stellar soundtrack!
#4: "Mrs. Doubtfire" (1993)
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“Mrs. Doubtfire” is one of several of Robin’s movies to get turned into hit theater adaptations. It’s no wonder why: the film is classic Robin Williams. If you’ve been living under a rock for the past 30 years, the movie follows a down-on-his-luck voice actor desperate to reconnect with his family. Using his industry connections to give him professional prosthetic makeup, Daniel Hillard manages to pose as a Scottish nanny for his own children. As with many of the performer’s endeavors, “Mrs. Doubtfire” is a comedy with real pain and conflict at its center. It’s a story about missing what you’ve got once it’s gone. Willliams’ character goes to absurd - but endearing - lengths to get his family back.
#3: "Dead Poets Society" (1989)
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In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hollywood seemed to have a miniature obsession with movies about boys’ boarding schools. Before “Scent of a Woman,” “School Ties,” and “Toy Soldiers,” it was 1989’s “Dead Poet Society” that seemed to kickstart the trend of prep school backdrops. Williams stars as Mr. Keating, an English teacher who uses poetry to inspire his students. Through Mr. Keating, we see the importance of the arts and self-expression; they are tools that can help young people learn who they are meant to be in an otherwise cold, unfeeling world. Mr. Keating ultimately pays for his insight with his job, but we bet his students never forgot the lesson.
#2: "Aladdin" (1992)
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Before “Aladdin,” voice acting in kids’ cartoons was typically left to voice actors. “Big name” Hollywood stars stayed away. But, this role changed everything. “Aladdin” made hundreds of millions at the box office, and Disney continued to rake in the big bucks with home video, toys, video games, and even a Tony-winning Broadway musical. The film itself is the pinnacle of 1990s Disney and Williams’ Genie was beloved by multiple generations. His popularity led to a real shift in the industry, finally solidified by Tim Allen and Tom Hanks in “Toy Story” a few years later. Big names in animated films are now the norm, though it’s difficult to hold a candle to William’s performance as Genie.
#1: "Good Will Hunting" (1997)
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“Good Will Hunting” is a hard-scrabble drama about a math genius from South Boston, which catapulted writers and stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to superstardom. Still, it wasn't an easy road to get there; the film went through development hell for years. It cycled through multiple production companies before getting made. When casting, they wanted a major talent to play Sean, the moral heart of the film, and the script eventually made its way to Williams. He loved it so much, he agreed to a massive multi-million dollar pay cut. When asked about it, he said: "I had to…they would have made this movie without me...it's too good not to be made." His instincts paid off; after four nominations in the span of a decade, Robin Williams finally won his Oscar.
