What about a comedy about a guy with a multiphobic personality who's tormented by constant panic? Sound just a tad sicko and a trifle politically incorrect? Wonderfully, yes!
Despite probable second opinions by the mental health profession and the terminally serioso, ''What About Bob?'' the Bill Murray-Richard Dreyfuss laugh-getter, should provide high therapy for audiences who have endured good-movie deprivation through this dismal spring.
And, as Norman Cousins wrote, laughter is the best panacea for health problems. The side effect of all this moviegoer chuckling will be a healthy dose of loot for Buena Vista.
Bill Murray solidifies his status as the all-American class clown with his woolly bully portrayal of dysfunctional recluse Bob Wiley, a man so smitten with phobias he can barely complete life's most minimual tasks without grievous stress.
Bob's such a headcase and an around-the-clock challenge that his shrink pawns him off on a hated colleague (Richard Dreyfuss), a publicity-mongering poop of megalomaniac proportions who is about to take off on a month's lakeside vacation. The good doctor, in addition to his enlarged ego, has some problems of his own, which make yet for ''another vacation that's not a vacation for his family'': a frazzled wife (Julie Hagerty), a pressured boy (Charlie Korsmo) and a neglected teenage girl (Kathryn Erbe).
Indeed, the doc has declared perfection must reign for the vacation, and all activities are subordinated to his impending appearance on ''Good Morning America, '' an ego-gratification headtrip to shamelessly hawk his self-help best-seller. One doesn't have to spend seven years in plot analysis to know, basically, the story prognosis: panicky Bob shows up (with his goldfish) at the doctor's retreat and ''ruins'' his vacation.
In Tom Schulman's perceptively droll screenplay, the psychological tables are, not surprisingly, turned, as balmy Bob proves the perfect panacea for the doctor's distressed family life.
In this spendidly cast film, Murray and Dreyfuss play off each other to their maximum advantage: Murray does what he does best, to shine-on and ultimately destroy authority figures, while Dreyfuss' portrayal of the runty doctor is splendidly Napoleonic. Throughout, Murray's loopy/droopy antics and Dreyfuss' preeny/weenie cackles are perfectly calibrated, as the not-so-nutty patient deflates the pompous psychiatrist's ego to hysterical hot air.
Although the farcical windup could benefit from a slight sedative, Frank Oz's direction is ever sensitive to the ticks of each character while keeping the slapstick dosage to a wacky, yet safe, level.
Technical contributions are marvelously subtle, thus powerful: editor Anne V. Coates' surgical cuts, in tandem with cinematographer Michael Ballhaus' witty compositions, are wonderfully punchy, amusing, while Bernie Pollack's costumes are apt psychological profiles for all. Similarly, Miles Goodman's splendid score, with its doodly reeds and lumps of goofy brass barrages, is a perfect toner for this smart-and-nutty amusement.
WHAT ABOUT BOB?
Buena Vista
Touchstone Pictures Presents
In association with Touchwood Pacific Partners I
A Laura Ziskin Production
A Frank Oz Film
Producer Laura Ziskin
Director Frank Oz
Screenwriter Tom Schulman
Story Alvin Sargent, Laura Ziskin
Co-producer Bernard Williams
Director of photography Michael Ballhaus
Production designer Les Dilley
Editor Anne V. Coates
Costume designer Bernie Pollack
Music Miles Goodman
Casting Glenn Daniels
Color/Stereo
Cast:
Bob Wiley Bill Murray
Dr. Leo Marvin Richard Dreyfuss
Fay Marvin Julie Hagerty
Siggy Marvin Charlie Korsmo
Anna Marvin Kathryn Erbe
Mr. Guttman Tom Aldredge
Mrs. Guttman Susan Willis
Running time -- 99 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
Despite probable second opinions by the mental health profession and the terminally serioso, ''What About Bob?'' the Bill Murray-Richard Dreyfuss laugh-getter, should provide high therapy for audiences who have endured good-movie deprivation through this dismal spring.
And, as Norman Cousins wrote, laughter is the best panacea for health problems. The side effect of all this moviegoer chuckling will be a healthy dose of loot for Buena Vista.
Bill Murray solidifies his status as the all-American class clown with his woolly bully portrayal of dysfunctional recluse Bob Wiley, a man so smitten with phobias he can barely complete life's most minimual tasks without grievous stress.
Bob's such a headcase and an around-the-clock challenge that his shrink pawns him off on a hated colleague (Richard Dreyfuss), a publicity-mongering poop of megalomaniac proportions who is about to take off on a month's lakeside vacation. The good doctor, in addition to his enlarged ego, has some problems of his own, which make yet for ''another vacation that's not a vacation for his family'': a frazzled wife (Julie Hagerty), a pressured boy (Charlie Korsmo) and a neglected teenage girl (Kathryn Erbe).
Indeed, the doc has declared perfection must reign for the vacation, and all activities are subordinated to his impending appearance on ''Good Morning America, '' an ego-gratification headtrip to shamelessly hawk his self-help best-seller. One doesn't have to spend seven years in plot analysis to know, basically, the story prognosis: panicky Bob shows up (with his goldfish) at the doctor's retreat and ''ruins'' his vacation.
In Tom Schulman's perceptively droll screenplay, the psychological tables are, not surprisingly, turned, as balmy Bob proves the perfect panacea for the doctor's distressed family life.
In this spendidly cast film, Murray and Dreyfuss play off each other to their maximum advantage: Murray does what he does best, to shine-on and ultimately destroy authority figures, while Dreyfuss' portrayal of the runty doctor is splendidly Napoleonic. Throughout, Murray's loopy/droopy antics and Dreyfuss' preeny/weenie cackles are perfectly calibrated, as the not-so-nutty patient deflates the pompous psychiatrist's ego to hysterical hot air.
Although the farcical windup could benefit from a slight sedative, Frank Oz's direction is ever sensitive to the ticks of each character while keeping the slapstick dosage to a wacky, yet safe, level.
Technical contributions are marvelously subtle, thus powerful: editor Anne V. Coates' surgical cuts, in tandem with cinematographer Michael Ballhaus' witty compositions, are wonderfully punchy, amusing, while Bernie Pollack's costumes are apt psychological profiles for all. Similarly, Miles Goodman's splendid score, with its doodly reeds and lumps of goofy brass barrages, is a perfect toner for this smart-and-nutty amusement.
WHAT ABOUT BOB?
Buena Vista
Touchstone Pictures Presents
In association with Touchwood Pacific Partners I
A Laura Ziskin Production
A Frank Oz Film
Producer Laura Ziskin
Director Frank Oz
Screenwriter Tom Schulman
Story Alvin Sargent, Laura Ziskin
Co-producer Bernard Williams
Director of photography Michael Ballhaus
Production designer Les Dilley
Editor Anne V. Coates
Costume designer Bernie Pollack
Music Miles Goodman
Casting Glenn Daniels
Color/Stereo
Cast:
Bob Wiley Bill Murray
Dr. Leo Marvin Richard Dreyfuss
Fay Marvin Julie Hagerty
Siggy Marvin Charlie Korsmo
Anna Marvin Kathryn Erbe
Mr. Guttman Tom Aldredge
Mrs. Guttman Susan Willis
Running time -- 99 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 5/17/1991
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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