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Weird for such a top comedian that his best films were his non comedic films

posted 6 years ago by looper007 (1158)
19 replies | jump to latest

William's was a genius, one of the funniest men to have ever lived. But for me his greatest performances and films were his non comedy roles. The guy was trained as a serious actor, but it still blows my mind that he easily put on Oscar worthy and winning performances but seen as a comedic actor by many.

For me his best films and performances

Good Will Hunting
Dead Poets Society
Good Morning Vietnam
Awakenings
One Hour Photo
The Fisher King
Insomnia
The World According to Garp

Of course he had some comedy roles that rocked, like Mrs Doubtfire amd The Birdcage come to mind. But his best films were his more serious work.

[–] howgamer (3988) 6 years ago

Very true, but I would still say that Mrs. Doubtfire would be the exception. IMO that is one of his best films and performances; probably would be it at number 4 on your list.

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

I have it in my top ten, it probably come in around 9. It's his best comedic role. I think the film's I mentioned are him at his very best, I actually think Garp is one of his most underrated films and it's aged pretty well. William's should have done more anti Hero's and straight out bad guys as he slipped easily into those roles without any fuss.

1. Dead Poet's Society
2. Good Will Hunting
3. The Fisher King
4. Good Morning Vietnam
5. Awakenings
6. Insomnia
7. One Hour Photo
8. The World According To Garp
9. Mrs Doubtfire
10. The Birdcage

Special mentions: What Dreams May Come, Moscow on The Hudson (this film needs more love), and Cadillac Man.

[–] TexasJack (12516) 6 years ago

Good points and I agree with your list of his best work.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78608) 6 years ago

I agree with your opinion
It is weird
Great post Looper!

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

Thanks, I was just watching the recent HBO documentary on William's and decided to go through binge on his film's. The one's I ended up loving were his drama's more so then his comedies. That's not saying his comedic roles were bad especially during his peak at the top.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78608) 6 years ago

I really loved Good Morning Vietnam
That was a comedy/drama...right in his wheelhouse👍

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

Definitely has it's comedic moments, but everything outside the studio is definitely a lot more drama. People forget that ending is a pretty downbeat one. But it's a fantastic film I agree with you.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78608) 6 years ago

So good
Due for a rewatch

[–] ultravioletx (10237) 6 years ago

Drama is easier to write and perform than comedy. Though Robin was more of a zany type than a joke teller. You could see his zaniness in parts of Dead Poets Society, Good Morning Vietnam and Fisher King. He showed he was able to do both. His brand of comedy probably helped his dramatic career in that people were expecting to see the zany side of him but got this formidable dramatic performance. Yet when he was given some really good comedic writing he pulled it off like few could. I feel like his role as the Genie is even more historic than any of his dramatic roles.

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

Richard Pryor had that to him, but he sadly fell back into the safety net with his duo act with Gene Wilder and shallow comedies. After you see his performances in Blue Collar, Jojo Dancer and Lady Sings The Blues, you wish he took more of a risk like Williams did.

It's definitely not easy for someone who was seen as a comedian and it took a lot of work and great work for William's to stamp his dramatic work on the audience. It took until Good Morning Vietnam in 87 for the audience to go with him. That film for all the comedic in the studio, still packs a punch today especially the ending.

The Genie is definitely a fantastic performance. They even gave him a special prize at Golden Globes for it lol.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

It's not unusual for comedians/comics to shine at drama... one of them -- maybe Robins himself I can't remember -- said that for a lot of comedians, their talent comes from sad or hard circumstances. They tap into that when they make the switch to drama.

Michael Keaton, Jim Carrey, Eddie Murphy, Dan Ackroyd, Will Ferrell, Steve Carrell, Bill Murray... probably others... all received critical acclaim when they made the jump to drama.

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

That's cause Robin broke down those walls, then a lot of the guys you mentioned did it. Once they saw a comedian could have success in the box office and critical side of things many other comedic actors took the risks. The Only one who was on William's level who took the risks and it paid off was Jim Carrey, he was the William's of the 90's and decided he wanted to mix it up and did so brilliantly by doing Man on The Moon, The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind. Those three films are probably Carrey's best two definitely the last two.

Keaton is a good call too, I always forgot he started off as a comedian. His role in The Other Guy's shows what a great comedic actor he is. Steve Carrell is really stepping into the shoes left by William's and is doing a lot more serious work.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I was actually one of the (seems few) people who liked The Majestic and thought that Carrey in that shone in a way that put me in mind of Jimmy Stewart. Still think that one day down the road people new to that 2001 film will watch the film and it'll end up being seen as a classic (a lost classic as they say).

One of the big ones to note is that here in Australia Eric Bana was a stand-up comedian and did sketch shows, then ended up not doing that in the USA, the divide between people here knowing him as a comedian and in the USA knowing him only as a dramatic actor is interesting to see.

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

It's crazy about Bana, I didn't even know he was a comedian until I saw a few clips from his Australian shows. He does a good Arnie Impression. He was great in that film The Castle, one of my favorite Aussie films.

I liked the Majestic, it had a tough job following two stone cold classic's in Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. The problem with The Majestic is that it's simply not Classic like the two other films but I agree it deserves a lot more love then it gets really. He does a real good Jimmy Stewart, I thought he did a good one in Truman show as well.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Yeah Carrey does, I could imagine Stewart in the Truman Show, as that was very like Stewart in his film Harvey.

The Castle is a great film and a type we should try and make here more often, as in it is an everyday story that isn't uniquely Australian, yes they are Australians and have some quirks but the basis of the story is relatable to every country.

And yeah that's what I mean about Bana, it's fun seeing people who never knew, especially when you get some Aussies who complain he's no good and should have stuck to comedy, then you point to the rest of the world and go well actually ....

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

Bana is someone I don't think lived up to his early promise. He was so awesome in Chopper, that everything since just been a bit of a let down. Not to say he's had a bad career at all. Black Hawk Dawn (he was the best thing in that), Munich (one of Spielberg's underrated films), Romulus My Father (a solid Australian film) and Lone Survivor. They are pretty damn good films. But His best performance is still Chopper, and he hasn't come close to topping since. Shame really.

He made the Castle even before he did his comedy stuff on TV, Surprised by that. I always said that the Castle could be shot here in Ireland, or in the Middle Eastern country and it would still work. It's such a good hearted film. Australia have churned out some great films over the last few decades and I put The Castle up there as one of the best that country has produced.

Definitely could see Stewart or Jack Lemmon circa late 50's early 60's in Truman Show.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Pre-dating Robin Williams were comic actors/comedians like Dick Van Dyke, Jerry Lewis, Woody Allen, Art Carney, his fellow Honeymooner Jackie Gleason, Don Rickles who made 'serious' movies before Williams' time.
Even in those dramatic movies though, there was usually an element of humour (today they'd be called dramedies.) In most of Robins' dramatic movies, humour was still a big part of them. The only ones that were flat out drama were Insomnia, One Hour Photo, The Final Cut. Maybe one or two of his more obscure ones that I haven't seen yet.
Bicentennial Man -- maybe one of the saddest movies I've ever seen and one of his best I thought -- still had some Robin Williams' schtick in it.
I will agree that he set the bar high and no doubt inspired a lot of his fellow funnymen to try their hand at drama. Jim Carrey and Steve Carrell have been the most successful at establishing their drama cred I agree, Keaton's probably part of that club too.

PS. Did you see Rodney Dangerfield Natural Born Killers? Man, that came out of left field... he played a good slimeball.

[–] captainbucky (15252) 6 years ago

I agree with both

[–] captainbucky (15252) 6 years ago

He was a tv actor