Fathers’ Day 1997 - Ranking Every Robin Williams Movie
Is Fathers' Day (1997) a good movie? Fathers' Day is a middle-of-the-road 1997 comedy movie that relies heavily on familiar sitcom tropes. While it features a brilliant, 5-star performance from Robin Williams and great chemistry with co-star Billy Crystal, its reliance on contrived chaos holds it back in our overall movie ranking and review. It is an okay watch, but largely forgettable.
The Premise: What is Fathers' Day About?
Fathers' Day is about as “90s comedy” as it gets. Robin Williams and Billy Crystal play two completely different men who both slept with the same woman 17 years ago. Out of nowhere, she calls each of them with a shocking revelation: they have a 17-year-old son, he is missing, and they need to go find him. Both men independently set out on this mission, eventually bump into each other, and predictable comedy ensues.
(Outside Knowledge Note: Directed by legendary comedy director Ivan Reitman—known for Ghostbusters and Twins—Fathers' Day is actually an American remake of the popular 1983 French comedy film "Les Compères". Despite the heavy-hitting cast and director, it was a critical and commercial failure upon release.)
What Works: Comedic Heavyweight Chemistry
Robin Williams movies frequently take a tired premise or trope and elevate it entirely through incredible acting, writing, or directing. While this film doesn't wholly transcend its clichéd setup, the undeniable highlight is the chemistry between the two leads.
Robin and Billy Crystal play off each other exceptionally well, making their interactions genuinely fun to watch. When the script gets out of their way and allows these two comedic legends to fire on all cylinders, there are some genuinely funny moments that will have you laughing out loud.
What Doesn't Work: Contrived Chaos and... Sugar Ray?
Unfortunately, this movie can feel incredibly annoying at times. It leans so heavily on basic misunderstandings and foolish mistakes to move the plot forward that you can often see the punchlines coming the moment a scene is set up.
When a film is this dependent on contrived chaos, the comedy stops feeling organic and instead feels like you are just hopping from one artificial set piece to the next. Furthermore, half the movie bizarrely revolves around a cameo from the 90s band Sugar Ray. In fact, the film has largely faded into obscurity for the exact same reason the band Sugar Ray faded into obscurity: it wasn’t awful, but it just wasn't good enough or bad enough to be remembered (sorry to all 12 Sugar Ray fans out there).
The Robin Williams Ranking & Performance Score
Robin Williams Performance Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars) Even in a middling film, Robin delivers a really solid performance. Both he and Billy Crystal give it their all, earning a comfortable 5-star performance score and rescuing the film from being completely unwatchable.
Good Mourning Robin Ranking: In our ongoing ranking list, Fathers' Day sits near the bottom. I am placing it below Toys but slightly above Popeye—mostly just because I can actually hear and understand what’s going on in this movie.
Aladdin
The Fisher King
Good Morning Vietnam
The World According to Garp
Awakenings
Mrs. Doubtfire
Dead Poets Society
The Birdcage
Hook
Moscow on the Hudson
Being Human
Jumanji
Toys
Fathers’ Day ⭐
Popeye
FernGully
Club Paradise
Cadillac Man
Best of Times
The Survivors
Jack
FAQ: Fathers' Day (1997) Movie
Who starred in Fathers' Day (1997)? The film stars comedic legends Robin Williams (as Dale Putley) and Billy Crystal (as Jack Lawrence), who are tricked into teaming up to find a missing teenager.
Who directed Fathers' Day? The movie was directed by Ivan Reitman, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Ghostbustersand Kindergarten Cop.
Is Fathers' Day based on a French movie? Yes, it is a remake of the 1983 French buddy comedy Les Compères, which starred Gérard Depardieu and Pierre Richard.
What band makes a cameo in Fathers' Day? The 90s rock band Sugar Ray makes a prominent appearance in the film, which dates the movie heavily to 1997.
How does Robin Williams' performance in Fathers' Day rank? In our review, Robin Williams earns a perfect 5-star score. He and Billy Crystal carry the film, delivering great performances that make the contrived, chaotic script enjoyable when they are firing on all cylinders.
