World's Greatest Dad

This is the hardest review I’ve had to write to date. Somehow I have to get across to you, the reader, how good this movie is without giving away the first turning point in the film and spoiling it for you. I feel like its better if you don’t know because I didn’t know going in to it what this movie was even about, and I think it made the movie that much better. All I knew was that this film was directed by Bobcat Goldthwait and that was all I needed to know to be on board. I think most people will need a little more convincing than I did however, so with the utmost care I will try and convince you.

“World’s Greatest Dad,” is the best possible title for this movie. It really encapsulates what the film is about in a clever and facetious way. But after you consider the film you realize with every different twist that the main character may actually be the world’s greatest dad, if you think about what it really means to be a dad in the first place. It’s the story of a man, played by Robin Williams, who is trying to raise his son the best he can even though his teenage son is a pervert and an asshole. He tries his best to do what he thinks is right for his son, even if it means lying a little bit. Even at the end he redeems his son and lets him have the last laugh, even if it means the end of his career. Raising teenagers seems like a hellish ordeal, because you really can no longer determine who your kid will grow up to be at that point and you are stuck with the result not knowing exactly where you went wrong.

I respect Robin Williams as a comedian, but there is no denying that he is one of the most gifted and brilliant actors there is. He is pitch perfect in this movie in which he is the central figure. Daryl Sabara is also great as Williams’ son, Kyle. The supporting actors add to a host of characters that fill out the film. The triumph of this film is Goldthwait’s story telling. This story is so good. His directing is also spot on for the material. One of the touches of genius you see in the film is the use of a particular photo of Kyle, a photo which he hated, throughout the film. It comes to represent and stand for the central themes of the film and keeps you aware of the dark irony that Goldthwait is playing with. This is a dark movie, but it is also absurdly funny. I wish I could give away more because I could say a lot about just how good this story is. Ill just say that I hope you go see it and I hope that you like it as much as I did.