All Robin Williams Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer
(Photo by Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection)
Robin Williams earned his big-screen debut as Popeye in 1980 on the the growing popularity of his frenzied, freewheeling stand-up routine, and his literally out-of-this-world role on TV’s Mork & Mindy. Williams’ follow-up, The World According to Garp, was quick to reveal the sensitive artist, the melancholic side to the actor that sought fulfillment in dramatic characters and movies. Of course, it was the ’80s, and the market demanded awful comedies, which Williams was obliged to make until that special breakthrough role that would propel him out of yuppie slapstick. That moment arrived in 1987 with Barry Levinson’s Good Morning, Vietnam, a box office smash that nabbed Williams his first Oscar nomination and was part and parcel of Reagan-era movies like First Blood and Platoon that re-defined the American perception of the War.
Vietnam kicked off a strong run of critical praise and Academy recognition, as William appeared in Dead Poets Society, Awakenings, and The Fisher King one after the other. If comedy was beginning to look like something in the rear view mirror, Williams abruptly shifted gears into family fare, starting with 1991’s Hook, and then Aladdin (a turning point for celebrity voice actors as animated marketing draws), Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, and Flubber. Williams was everywhere in the ’90s, and it all culminated with the multiple career-launching Good Will Hunting, which got him his final Oscar nomination (he was previously recognized for Fisher King and Dead Poets) and only win.
After flops Bicentennial Man and Jakob the Liar saw him veer hard into sentimentality, Williams re-invented himself as a dark angel in 2002 with Death to Smoochy, Insomnia, and One Hour Photo. Broad comedies (like Old Dogs, Man of the Year, RV, or License to Wed) would still remind audiences of the old eager-to-please Williams, even as they repelled critics. And he could use his pre-conceived image as a genial figure in his favor in ensemble pieces like the Night at the Museum series, Happy Feet, or Lee Daniels’ The Butler. But it was obvious Williams was increasingly drawn to pitch-black comedies and dramas, which ramped up in menace over the course of The Night Listener, World’s Greatest Dad, The Angriest Man in Brooklyn, and A Merry Friggin’ Christmas.
Williams’ final on-screen performance was 2015’s Boulevard, and his last voice role featured in 2017 for Absolutely Anything. A Certified Fresh 2018 documentary, Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind, remains to illuminate more of his life, as we rank all Robin Williams movies by Tomatometer.
#57
Adjusted Score: 7.956%
Critics Consensus: Its cast tries hard, but Old Dogs is a predictable, nearly witless attempt at physical comedy and moral uplift that misses the mark on both counts.
Synopsis: Two best friends — one unlucky-in-love divorcee and the other a fun-loving bachelor — have their lives turned upside down… [More]
#56
Adjusted Score: 10.687%
Critics Consensus: The Big Wedding’s all-star cast is stranded in a contrived, strained plot that features broad stabs at humor but few laughs.
Synopsis: With an all-star cast led by Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, with Susan Sarandon… [More]
#55
Adjusted Score: 10.766%
Critics Consensus: Featuring one of Robin Williams’ most shtick-heavy performances, the broad and formulaic License to Wed wrings little out of its slightly creepy, unappealing premise.
Synopsis: Newly engaged Ben Murphy’s fiancée, Sadie Jones, has always dreamed of getting married in a traditional wedding at her family… [More]
#54
Adjusted Score: 9.149%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In this satirical black comedy, two very different, unemployed men witness an attempted robbery and are able to identify the… [More]
#53
Adjusted Score: 9.389%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Some people have bad days. Henry Altmann (Williams) has one every day. Always unhappy and angry at the world including… [More]
#52
Adjusted Score: 12.344%
Critics Consensus: A sincere but inept coming of age story.
Synopsis: Actor David Duchovny made his debut as a director and screenwriter with this coming-of-age drama, in which a grown man… [More]
#51
Adjusted Score: 13.033%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In this comedy, Jack Moniker (Robin Williams) and Ernest Reed (Jimmy Cliff) become partners in a deal to modernize a… [More]
#50
Adjusted Score: 12.758%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Boyd and his family are forced to spend a dreaded Christmas at his parents’ house with his eccentric father that… [More]
#49
Adjusted Score: 19.226%
Critics Consensus: Robin Williams’ childlike energy is channeled in all the wrong places with Jack, a bizarre tragedy that aims for uplift but sinks deep into queasy schmaltz.
Synopsis: Jack is a boy who is growing normally, but at four times the normal rate. Kept out of school for… [More]
#48
Adjusted Score: 19.012%
Critics Consensus: Given the impressive array of talent involved in Absolutely Anything — and the near-total lack of laughs it provokes — this Monty Python reunion can only be regarded as a disappointment.
Synopsis: Monty Python alumni John Cleese, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, and Eric Idle reunite for this sci-fi comedy directed… [More]
#47
Adjusted Score: 25.377%
Critics Consensus: Syrupy performances and directing make this dramedy all too obvious.
Synopsis: Based on the true story of a misfit medical student whose unconventional approach to healing causes headaches for the medical… [More]
#46
Adjusted Score: 26.562%
Critics Consensus: Weakened by second-half attempts at thriller and romance, this presidential comedy also fails to hit any sharp political notes, resulting in a confused and unsatisfying mess.
Synopsis: To make waves on the campaign trail, a late-night political talkshow host runs for president–only to have his prank backfire… [More]
#45
Adjusted Score: 26.823%
Critics Consensus: An unoriginal and only occasionally funny family road-trip movie, RV is a mediocre effort that not even the charisma of Robin Williams can save.
Synopsis: A white-collar workaholic deceptively persuades his family to forgo their much-anticipated Hawaiian vacation for a cross-country road trip in a… [More]
#44
Adjusted Score: 25.443%
Critics Consensus: With its overactive focus on special effects and tiresome slapstick, Flubber squanders the immense talent of its cast and crew.
Synopsis: Remake of ÒThe Absent-Minded ProfessorÓ finds Robin Williams concocting a physics-defying substance that may save his failing college. Uneven but… [More]
#43
Adjusted Score: 28.239%
Critics Consensus: A maudlin misfire, Father’s Day manages the difficult task of making Billy Crystal and Robin Williams woefully unfunny.
Synopsis: The stage is set for comedy when two middle-aged men (Billy Crystal and Robin Williams) struggle to overcome their considerable… [More]
#42
Adjusted Score: 27.075%
Critics Consensus: Nine Months finds writer-director Chris Columbus playing to his worst comedic instincts — and relying far too heavily on the trademark tics of his miscast leading man.
Synopsis: A single man faces the terrifying prospect of seeing his carefree life dashed by a visit from the stork in… [More]
#41
Adjusted Score: 32.603%
Critics Consensus: The look of Hook is lively indeed but Steven Spielberg directs on autopilot here, giving in too quickly to his sentimental, syrupy qualities.
Synopsis: Steven Spielberg filters J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan through a distinctly 1990s sensibility in Hook. Peter Pan has become Peter… [More]
#40
Adjusted Score: 31.702%
Critics Consensus: Any real story is buried by awkward performances and contrived situations.
Synopsis: This remake of the 1975 German film Jakob der Lügner stars Robin Williams in a dramatic role as a man… [More]
#39
Adjusted Score: 11.507%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An Alaskan travel agent finds a frozen body in a dumpster and tries to pass it off as his long-lost… [More]
#38
Adjusted Score: 31.343%
Critics Consensus: Like a colorfully overengineered gewgaw on the shelf, Toys might look like fun, but its seemingly limitless possibilities lead mainly to confusion and disappointment.
Synopsis: Barry Levinson directed this cautionary fantasy fable–a triumph of production design–concerning the clash between benevolent, funny toys and malevolent, violent… [More]
#37
Adjusted Score: 31.408%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Small-town banker Robin Williams has never been able to live down the fact that he dropped an important pass during… [More]
#36
Adjusted Score: 30.426%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In Disney’s second straight-to-video sequel to Aladdin, Aladdin (voice of Scott Weinger) and Princess Jasmine (voice of Linda Larkin) have… [More]
#35
Adjusted Score: 39.988%
Critics Consensus: Bicentennial Man is ruined by a bad script and ends up being dull and mawkish.
Synopsis: «Bicentennial Man,» follows the life and times of the title character, an android, who is purchased as a household robot… [More]
#34
Adjusted Score: 38.656%
Critics Consensus: The Final Cut fails to make compelling use of its intriguing premise and talented cast, settling for a middling sci-fi drama that never justifies its pretensions.
Synopsis: First-time filmmaker Omar Naim wrote and directed the sci-fi drama The Final Cut. Set in the near future, the story… [More]
#33
Adjusted Score: 40.652%
Critics Consensus: Though featuring a talented cast, August Rush cannot overcome the flimsy direction and schmaltzy plot.
Synopsis: An infant secretly given away by Lyla’s father has grown into an unusually gifted child who hears music all around… [More]
#32
Adjusted Score: 44.29%
Critics Consensus: This psychological thriller compels by blurring the line between truth and fiction; unfortunately, the film itself gets muddled in a hazy account of Maupin’s original novel.
Synopsis: A troubled radio talk show host’s desperate attempt to contact the ailing teenage author of a disturbing manuscript leads him… [More]
#31
Adjusted Score: 44.953%
Critics Consensus: The talent involved can’t save a script that has nowhere to go with its promising premise.
Synopsis: Randolph Smiley has it all–as star of the highest rated kid’s show on TV, «Rainbow Randolph» has a penthouse, a… [More]
#30
Adjusted Score: 47.29%
Critics Consensus: Parents might call this either a spectacle-filled adventure or a shallow and vapid CG-fest, depending on whether they choose to embrace this on the same level as their kids.
Synopsis: Larry Daley, a down-and-out dreamer whose imaginative ideas have never paid off, finds himself in desperate need of a job…. [More]
#29
Adjusted Score: 48.202%
Critics Consensus: The animation is as eye-popping as ever, but Happy Feet Two’s narrative is too noisily incoherent to recapture the Oscar-winning charm of its predecessor.
Synopsis: Happy Feet Two returns audiences to the magnificent landscape of Antarctica in superb 3D. Mumble, The Master of Tap, has… [More]
#28
Adjusted Score: 50.061%
Critics Consensus: Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian is busy enough to keep the kids interested but the slapstick goes overboard and the special effects (however well executed) throw the production into mania.
Synopsis: Ben Stiller returns as Larry Daley, the unfortunate night watchman who continues to encounter living and breathing museum exhibits in… [More]
#27
Adjusted Score: 50.86%
Critics Consensus: While not without its moments, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb is a less-than-inspired sendoff for the trilogy.
Synopsis: Get ready for the wildest and most adventure-filled Night At the Museum ever as Larry (Ben Stiller) spans the globe,… [More]
#26
Adjusted Score: 54.062%
Critics Consensus: Boulevard features a richly layered performance from Robin Williams, but that may be this dour drama’s sole distinctive feature.
Synopsis: A devoted husband in a marriage of convenience is forced to confront his secret life…. [More]
#25
Adjusted Score: 53.624%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Five fables, each set in a different historical era, make up this quirky comedy from director Bill Forsyth. Each tale… [More]
#24
Adjusted Score: 55.843%
Critics Consensus: A feast for the eyes with a somewhat malnourished plot, Jumanji is an underachieving adventure that still offers a decent amount of fun for the whole family.
Synopsis: When young Alan Parrish discovers a mysterious board game, he doesn’t realize its unimaginable powers, until he is magically transported… [More]
#23
Adjusted Score: 57.441%
Critics Consensus: An insubstantial plot overshadows the beautiful, surreal scenery.
Synopsis: Despite everything we have experienced and all we have seen, nothing can prepare us for the wonders of what lies… [More]
#22
Adjusted Score: 50.86%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Robin Williams stars in this oddball comedy about a fast-talking car salesman who is down on his luck and in… [More]
#21
Adjusted Score: 61.405%
Critics Consensus: Altman’s take on the iconic cartoon is messy and wildly uneven, but its robust humor and manic charm are hard to resist.
Synopsis: In the town of Sweetville, lovable sailor Popeye seeks out his long-lost father. Along the way, he vies with the… [More]
#20
Adjusted Score: 63.389%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A man finds himself living among the animals and enchanted spirits of the rainforest, and learns of the true consequences… [More]
#19
Adjusted Score: 69.981%
Critics Consensus: Robots delights on a visual level, but the story feels like it came off an assembly line.
Synopsis: A young genius wants his robots to make the world a better place. He falls in love with a very… [More]
#18
Adjusted Score: 74.688%
Critics Consensus: On paper, Mrs. Doubtfire might seem excessively broad or sentimental, but Robin Williams shines so brightly in the title role that the end result is difficult to resist.
Synopsis: After out-of-work actor Daniel Hilliard (Robin Williams) loses custody of his three children to his ex-wife Miranda (Sally Field), he… [More]
#17
Adjusted Score: 78.308%
Critics Consensus: Gut-wrenching and emotionally affecting, Lee Daniels’ The Butler overcomes an uneven narrative thanks to strong performances from an all-star cast.
Synopsis: LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER tells the story of a White House butler who served eight American presidents over three decades…. [More]
#16
Adjusted Score: 74.658%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Woody Allen wrote and directed this comedy about turmoil in the erotic and creative life of immature New York writer… [More]
#15
Adjusted Score: 81.496%
Critics Consensus: Visually dazzling, with a thoughtful storyline and catchy musical numbers, Happy Feet marks a successful animated debut from the makers of Babe.
Synopsis: In the world of the emperor penguin, a simple song can mean the difference between a lifetime of happiness and… [More]
#14
Adjusted Score: 78.916%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The 1982 film version of the John Irving novel The World According to Garp attempts to captures the quirky spirit… [More]
#13
Adjusted Score: 82.305%
Critics Consensus: Mike Nichols wrangles agreeably amusing performances from Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in this fun, if not quite essential, remake of the French comedy La Cage aux Folles.
Synopsis: Armand Goldman owns a popular drag nightclub in South Miami Beach. His long-time lover, Albert, stars there as Starina. «Their»… [More]
#12
Adjusted Score: 86.61%
Critics Consensus: Robin Williams is very effective in this creepy, well-shot thriller.
Synopsis: Funnyman Robin Williams steps out of character in this tense, low-key thriller that marked the feature-film directorial debut of music… [More]
#11
Adjusted Score: 86.115%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Set in contemporary Los Angeles as well as the Los Angeles of the 1940s, Dead Again explores a romance between… [More]
#10
Adjusted Score: 87.253%
Critics Consensus: An odd but affecting mixture of drama, comedy and fantasy, The Fisher King manages to balance moving performances from Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges with director Terry Gilliam’s typically askew universe.
Synopsis: Terry Gilliam directed this adaptation of Richard LaGravenese’s mystical (and mythical) tale of redemption in the hard-time town of New… [More]
#9
Adjusted Score: 88.17%
Critics Consensus: Affecting performances from the young cast and a genuinely inspirational turn from Robin Williams grant Peter Weir’s prep school drama top honors.
Synopsis: Robin Williams toned down his usually manic comic approach in this successful period drama. In 1959, the Welton Academy is… [More]
#8
Adjusted Score: 86.965%
Critics Consensus: With Robin Williams’ affecting portrayal as a Russian immigrant at the center of its fish-out-of-water story, Moscow on The Hudson soars with an abundance of laughs and heart.
Synopsis: In this film, Robin Williams stars as a Russian sax player working in a circus. His warm home life does… [More]
#7
Adjusted Score: 89.774%
Critics Consensus: Elevated by some of Robin Williams’ finest non-comedic work and a strong performance from Robert De Niro, Awakenings skirts the edges of melodrama, then soars above it.
Synopsis: In this film, Dr. Malcolm Sayer takes a job at a Bronx psychiatric hospital and is put in charge of… [More]
#6
Adjusted Score: 91.282%
Critics Consensus: World’s Greatest Dad is a risky, deadpan, dark comedy that effectively explores the nature of posthumous cults of celebrity.
Synopsis: «World’s Greatest Dad» is a story about a man that learns the things you want most may not be the… [More]
#5
Adjusted Score: 92.875%
Critics Consensus: A well-calibrated blend of manic comedy and poignant drama, Good Morning, Vietnam offers a captivating look at a wide range of Robin Williams’ cinematic gifts.
Synopsis: The film begins in 1965, when disc jockey Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) is assigned to take over the AFR’s Saigon… [More]
#4
Adjusted Score: 97.71%
Critics Consensus: Driven by Pacino’s performance, Insomnia is a smart and riveting psychological drama.
Synopsis: A sleep-deprived detective is sent to a small Alaskan town to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. Forced into… [More]
#3
Adjusted Score: 97.777%
Critics Consensus: Kenneth Branagh’s sprawling, finely textured adaptation of Shakespeare’s masterpiece lives up to its source material, using strong performances and a sharp cinematic focus to create a powerfully resonant film that wastes none of its 246 minutes.
Synopsis: Kenneth Branagh («Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,» «The Road to El Dorado») writes, directs and stars in this… [More]
#2
Adjusted Score: 100.422%
Critics Consensus: A highly entertaining entry in Disney’s renaissance era,» Aladdin is beautifully drawn, with near-classic songs and a cast of scene-stealing characters.
Synopsis: Robin Williams’s dizzying and hilarious voicing of the Genie is the main attraction of Aladdin, the third in the series… [More]
#1
Adjusted Score: 101.461%
Critics Consensus: It follows a predictable narrative arc, but Good Will Hunting adds enough quirks to the journey — and is loaded with enough powerful performances — that it remains an entertaining, emotionally rich drama.
Synopsis: The most brilliant mind at America’s top university isn’t a student, he’s the kid who cleans the floors. Will Hunting… [More]
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