Mrs. Doubtfire

This ended up being one of those weekends where I just really couldn't will myself to go to a new movie in the theaters. There were three main options:

Dracula Untold. I'd seen the preview for this damn movie so many times that I feel like I'd already seen the whole thing. Pass.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. You see that title? Didn't want to type it, nor did I want to test the character limit of Blogger in any way should I accidentally break the entire site (wouldn't surprise me). Pass.

The Judge. Two and half hours long and not titled "Gone Girl". Really just couldn't conjure up the will to slog through it. Pass.

And, given that Denver apparently isn't "cool" enough to garner limited releases like Whiplash, I was really questioning my options.

So, in times like these I often find it best to catch up on my Retro Reviews. I'd found the Mrs. Doubtfire Blu-Ray in a bargain bin at Best Buy a couple weeks prior and hadn't gotten around to watching it again so I decided to watch it AND another film that shall remain nameless until I release it's Retro Review later this month.

Now that you've been dragged, kicking and screaming, through my deliberation process of which movie to see this weekend, I'll get into the review and state the obvious: the world lost a great person when Robin Williams took his own life only a short time ago. You didn't have to be a Hollywood "insider" to see that he was one of the good ones, and I think that the outpouring of support around the world truly captured just how many lives he touched with his genius talent. And that's exactly what it was: genius.

I first saw Mrs. Doubtfire when I was around 5 (at least that's my best guess) and several times afterwards until probably middle school. When I was about to start it the other night I realized that I hadn't seen it in well over a decade, probably even longer. It was one of my family's favorite movies and I remember my mom, dad, and brother practically in tears over it when I was younger. Back then I really just laughed at Williams' voices and didn't understand half of the jokes but I still loved it. I find that when I go back to a film that I remember seeing many, many years back, but haven't watched since, it's like seeing it again for almost the first time. You start to remember all the little nuances of when you were a child (for me I specifically recalled how cool I thought the soccer cake was near the beginning of the film...the one that gets eaten by the pony), but you also begin realizing so many little things that you missed. Now, I won't go into much more detail than that but, it is a really fun exercise, if not a bit of a nostalgic one. I highly recommend it.

"Dude looks like a lady!"

Robin Williams, somehow, making a pie in the
face funny again.

Really what is there to say about Mrs. Doubtfire that everyone doesn't already know? Simply put, it's a Robin William's classic; a film that, without him, would have most likely been a miniscule blip on the radar in 90s cinema. Williams is on screen nearly the whole film and he owns every second of it. When he is just the father, Daniel, he is wacky and armed with a plethora of voices. But more importantly, he is a father that loves his children and the heartbreak that a pending divorce causes him is what gives the film weight. Rather than just creating a reason for Williams in drag, the film comes up with a solid premise, divorce, and gives the shenanigans a reason for existing in the first place. Even more impressive than Williams' dramatic performance is the fact that the film doesn't end the way that "fairy tale" Hollywood would have had it. It's a very realistic ending that suggests, "Hey, everything may not be okay, but life goes on". I found the heart that the movie has buried within it to be a specific strength when elevating it above other comedies.

Of course, there is Williams' comedic performance too and in that regard, the portrayal of Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire, strict housemaid from England, is nothing short of iconic. And incredibly hilarious. From "hot flashes", to cleaning with Aerosmith on in the background, to a run-by fruiting, to the switch-a-roo restaurant scene, and everything in between, Williams is in top form of his comedic game. From a physical, timing, and comedic deliverance stand point, it's one of the highlights of his career. During my recent viewing I had a grin on my face almost the entire time she was on screen and there were more than a few occasions where I was full-on belly laughing. Mrs. Doubtfire isn't my typical brand of crude comedy. No...these are (for the most part) good, wholesome laughs that are funny in any language. I could go on and on about just how damn funny Mrs. Doubtfire is, but I think many of my readers probably already know.

I'll let his words do the talking for this picture:
"I've only been a woman for one day and I'm already having
hot flashes!"

The rest of the cast do a good job as well, no matter how overshadowed they are by Williams. Sally Field would probably get the silver medal as she helps to add weight to the divorce proceedings, but I never really felt like she came off as the "wicked" mother or anything, so I appreciated that. The children actors/actresses all do a good job at making themselves unique and delivering their lines better than most children are capable of. Even Pierce Brosnan, who seems to come a bit out of left field, does good work as the likable, but easy-to-root-against Stu. All in all, it's a well-rounded cast that services Williams' spotlight well. Additionally, and this is one of those things I never noticed when I was little, the film has an amazing soundtrack and strong original score. Will anyone really ever forget Williams vacuuming in drag to Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like a Lady"? I don't think so.

The only enemy to ever get a headshot on James
Bond? Mrs. Doubtfire.

Truly, the only issues I had with Mrs. Doubtfire were with its pacing. For most of the two hour runtime, it's moving along quite briskly, but I felt that in the middle sections there were numerous scenes that played more like skits. They were there solely for comedic purposes and didn't really have any further purpose beyond that. I won't even try to guess as to which spots I would have edited out but, the inconsistency of the flow of the film is still there.

I think it's safe to say that we are all pretty sad that Robin Williams is gone. He really hadn't been at the height of his career recently, but man oh man, did he rule the early-to-mid 90s. His loss is hard, especially given the details surrounding it. But, interestingly enough, what makes me feel a little less bummed out is the man himself and the vibrancy, energy, and good attitude that he brought to many of his performances. I think at the end of the day, Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire says it best:

"But if there's love, dear...those are the ties that bind, and you'll have a family in your heart, forever."

Many of us invited Robin into our homes, I know my household did, and fell in love with him. His voices could make you laugh, even on the crappiest of days, and there was an undeniable twinkle in his eye.

Sadly, it may have taken his death to realize this but when you fell in love with one of Robin Williams' characters, you were truly falling in love with him.

And Mrs. Doubtfire was no exception.

CONS:

• Some inconsistent pacing during the middle section of the film. Too many scenes feel like crafted skits that ultimately have nothing to do with the greater purpose of the film
• Daniel's character, as he is introduced in the beginning of the movie, is extreme. Is he really that moronic to throw that large of a party?
• A few jokes fall flat

PROS:

• Williams' performance is exquisite, both from a dramatic and comedic standpoint. He makes us feel for Daniel as he goes through a divorce and makes us laugh, and laugh, and laugh, and laugh once he becomes a English housemaid. Iconic
• Strong performances from the rest of the cast, especially Sally Field
• A hilarious script (which I'm sure was ad-libbed somewhat by Williams) and screenplay. Some of the funniest scenes from the 90s come from this single movie
• Very quote-able
• Fantastic soundtrack and a strong original score
• The movie has a considerable amount of heart that probably spoke to a lot of divorced families back in the day. It ends the way it should have in the real world, which I appreciate immensely
• I love Robin Williams' impressions/voices. So damn funny
• The movie as a whole acts as a reminder to just how much of an energetic powerhouse Robin Williams was. There was no one like him, nor is there likely to be for quite some time. I'm going to miss him

Retro Rath's Review Score: 9/10