World's Greatest Dad

If you follow movies, you might have noticed World's Greatest Dad is part of a growing trend. Instead of debuting in a handful of movie theaters in New York and Los Angeles, the movie premiered on your TV. It has been available via the On Demand service for a few weeks. Then, it is opening in theaters around the country with a traditional platform release (starting in big cities like DC this week and opening up in other cities every week if they can get enough interest). As more and more medium sized movies with big stars don't become blockbusters (I'm looking at you State of Play and The Soloist), this could be a great outlet for these movies, instead of watching them drown in a sea of G.I. Joe and Final Destination. It's a stimulus package for Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman and Robin Williams!

Robin Williams stars as Lance - a high school poetry teacher and frustrated novelist. While he hopes his latest manuscript will be the one that sells and justifies his desire to write the great American novel, Lance still has to deal with a workplace facing budget cutbacks, and his miserable son, Kyle (Daryl Sabara). The kid is mean, nasty, perverted and those are his better points (Why do I have a feeling parents everywhere are nodding their heads right about now?). However, when tragedy strikes, Lance's life turns around and goes from one of disappointment and frustration to one of endless possibility and success.

Can Lance come to grips with the means to which he has reached this success?

Will his misdeeds be discovered?

World's Greatest Dad is best when it tries to be dark, but it takes too long to get there. Throughout the first part of the movie, it feels like writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait (Yes, THAT Bobcat Goldthwait) is holding back out of fear. He flirts with the edgier material, but World's Greatest Dad starts off like too much of a traditional movie that lacks a direction, theme or thread to tie it all together. The audience watches as Lance leads a miserable life, but we are left to wonder what is important or interesting about it all, no matter how hard Williams tries to win our attention and pity for Lance.

However, in the second half, Goldthwait finds the right tone and World's Greatest Dad becomes a biting, sardonic commentary on how people react to death, no matter how much they hated the person who has died. Sure, not everyone will find it funny, and some might bristle at the scathing viewpoint, but every few minutes, Goldthwait gives a character some fantastic line of dialogue or quick comeback that rings true with those who will find a kinship with World's Greatest Dad and its animosity-filled view of society.

While Williams is fine as the man who feels he is a loser, and brings the character to life in telling, but subtle ways, even showing some of the frustration and anger at the right times to go beyond pity, Sabara proves he still can't act. When he was the less talented of the Spy Kids duo, cuteness and his young age kept many from revealing this deep dark secret, but you can't hide it in World's Greatest Dad. His entire performance is forced, phony and frightfully appalling. I beg all casting agents in Hollywood to toss his headshot in the garbage next time he comes in to audition. You will be saving yourself and your movie from the ire of the audience.

Goldthwait doesn't build up enough to the big climax, so it feels like we are missing a few scenes towards the end, but you have to admire Williams for continuing to explore new territory and characters with his acting career. This is a guy who does not rest on his laurels. It may not always pay off (World's Greatest Dad will not be the second coming of Mrs. Doubtfire), but it shows what real talent he has, which I hope will show up in another amazing, Oscar-type performance in the next few years.

World's Greatest Dad is rated R for language, crude and sexual content, some drug use and disturbing images.