As has already been iterated in a previous article here in the hallowed pages of CraveOnline, Robin Williams had – at the very least – 15 indispensable films in his varied career. But here’s the extraordinary thing about Robin Williams: he worked at all times, at all levels, churning out great work in obscurities alongside his usual A-list output. Not one to cleave to triple-A productions, or even a specific kind of comedy, Williams worked with whatever material he felt the most comfortable with, often challenging himself in smaller productions, working with interesting directors, and expanding as a performer. His career was so frantic and so diverse, one can breezily populate an entire list consisting of Williams’ other performances; the ones that are very good, but may not be mentioned with the same frequency as, say, Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, or One Hour Photo.
Related: The Essential Robin Williams: 15 Films We’ll Never Forget
Williams made about 70 films in his career, and many more are worth a mention than have been mentioned to date. Allow me, dear readers, to explore some of Williams’ better performances that you may have not seen, may have forgotten, or which are generally overlooked by critics and fans. Here are nine great Robin Williams performances from his career as an indie star, supporting actor, rising comedian, and ambitious experimenter.
Witney Seibold is a contributor to the CraveOnline Film Channel, and co-host of The B-Movies Podcast. You can read his weekly Trolling articles here on Crave, and follow him on “Twitter” at @WitneySeibold, where he is slowly losing his mind.
Nine OTHER Great Robin Williams Movies
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Club Paradise (1986)
After “Mork & Mindy” but before Good Morning, Vietnam, Robin Williams starred in this little-seen and less-talked-about Harold Ramis comedy. It's a predictable and rather usual comedy about a pair of “wacky” regular guys (Williams and Jimmy Cliff, yes, that Jimmy Cliff) who attempt to revitalize a beach resort in the Caribbean. Some of Williams' talented comedic contemporaries appear (Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis) as well as Peter O'Toole and Twiggy (!). You likely haven't seen this. See it, and witness Williams in rising star mode.
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Dead Again (1991)
Although he had already starred in Dead Poets Society and Awakenings by 1991, his subdued bit part in Kenneth Branagh's rather excellent reincarnation thriller Dead Again proved that Williams could give a performance that was small, natural, and very, very serious. Williams plays a shamed psychiatrist who reveals the film's themes of transmigration, all while working out of the back of a grocery store, angry and upset with himself. It is he that gives the film, oddly enough, its solid ground.
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Being Human (1994)
Bill Forsyth directed this little-seen indie about, essentially, cowardice. Williams plays several different roles throughout the timeline of Being Human, which starts in prehistory, detours through ancient Rome, and ends in the modern day. In all time frames, Williams plays various men (all perhaps related) who are callow, weak-willed, and easily dominated. None of them get what they want, and they live lives of shame. While the film does eventually point to redemption, we learn this: being human means being disappointed with yourself. Rough edges from a famous comedian.
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Nine Months (1995)
This was a mainstream, semi-successful mid-'90s comedy about a frantic yuppie couple having a baby, and all of the non-drama therein. Hugh Grant and Julianne Moore play the film disappointingly straight, so it was a relief to have a few brief scenes of Williams, in full-tilt crazy mode, as a vaguely foreign gynecologist. Williams, it turns out, can be the saving grace in supporting roles. He steals the show here, and we think back on this dumb little film with fondness because of him.
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Hamlet (1996)
Working with Kenneth Branagh for a second time, Williams proves that he can handle Shakespearean comedy as well as his own brand of improv. True, he only plays Osric, one of the smallest roles in Shakespeare's celebrated drama, but he adds a mincing energy to the late-in-the-play showcase that serves as a much-needed relief to the heady, heavy murder that we know is about to take place. A hit. A very palpable hit.
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Death to Smoochy (2002)
Often considered a failure, Death to Smoochy was panned by critics when it came out in 2002, and hasn't grown in esteem much since. We will say this: Death to Smoochy – if it is a failure – is one of Williams' most interesting failures. Williams plays a cynical, bitter, mean children's show host named Rainbow Randolph, who finds his empire crumbling in the hands of a rival host – a purple rhinoceros named Smoochy (Edward Norton). Williams sells this oddball curio with all his might, bringing a dark, manic energy to something that may be worth a look.
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The Aristocrats (2005)
Almost every working comedian was interviewed for this Paul Provenza documentary, each of them telling a version – or relating a tale about – the world's worst and dirtiest joke, apparently a joke so gross, it only exists within the backstage lore of working comedians. Many of the comedians interviewed (including Williams) refuse to tell their own version of the joke, but a highlight of the film was a cross-cutting of Robin Williams and Drew Carey telling the same dirty joke to interviewer Penn Jillette. Williams loves jokes. You can tell he did in a simple moment when he talks about a pianist's penis.
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The Big Wedding (2013)
On paper, The Big Wedding is a bland, middle-of-the-road romcom that just happens to feature a really impressive cast. One notable detail about the film, though, is that the characters – through a series of small, conversational moments – begin to take on a natural ease, implying that they have a past together (too often, it looks like actors met on the set that morning). Williams plays a Catholic priest who is forced to hear the confessions of the entire cast. Some of the characters don't believe in God, but Williams is not upset by this. Indeed, their faith is an incidental part of their friendship. Williams' naturalness in the role is a small thing, but notable.
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The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (2014)
In Williams' final film released during his lifetime, he plays the titular angriest man in Brooklyn. Phil Alden Robinson's most recent production is a quaint film about regret and the power that rage and cynicism can have over some of us, eventually declaring that love and family can trump the horrors of modern day frustration. Williams (indeed, most comedians) operate from a place of anger, but also from a place of sentimentality. Williams was a master at both, and in this little film, manages to pull out all the stops on both. It's worth seeking out.
