Flubber 1997 - Ranking Every Robin Williams Movie
Is Flubber (1997) a good movie? Flubber is a massive commercial hit but critically panned 1997 Disney remake. While it acts as a showcase for a perfect 5-star performance from Robin Williams, the film itself feels like a shameless cash grab designed to print money rather than stand the test of time. In our ultimate movie ranking and review, it sits near the absolute bottom of his filmography.
The Premise: What is Flubber (1997) About?
Flubber is a 1997 remake of the classic Disney film The Absent-Minded Professor.
Directed by Les Mayfield and co-written by the legendary 80s filmmaker John Hughes, the film follows Professor Philip Brainard, a brilliant but distracted scientist trying to invent a new energy source to save his financially struggling college.
What he actually invents is "Flubber"—a green, sentient ooze that can stretch, multiply, play the bongos, and even make cars fly. However, his obsession with his invention constantly alienates his fiancée, proving that being an "absent-minded professor" is really just another way of saying the guy is kind of a dick.
What Works: Shooter McGavin and a Perfect Professor
To be fair to the filmmakers, the movie looks like it was a total blast to work on, and you can tell the people involved cared about what they were making. Robin Williams is perfectly cast as the eccentric genius, delivering a flawless performance despite the script's chaotic shortcomings.
But the absolute best part of this film is Christopher McDonald, who is essentially playing a more evil version of his iconic Happy Gilmore character, Shooter McGavin. He is having the most fun out of anyone in the movie, and he gets the film's most unforgettable scene: Flubber literally blasts through his backside and blows out his pants.
What Doesn't Work: A Shameless Cash Grab
Despite a massive marketing campaign that helped the film make a ton of money, Flubber was heavily criticized upon release, and it is easy to see why. Disney had a recognizable intellectual property and a major star, but the narrative completely falls apart.
The film relies heavily on cartoonish gags and confusing logic. For instance, the professor's flying AI robot, Weebo, mostly communicates through reaction GIFs and harbors a bizarre romantic crush on him—creating a weird, family-friendly version of the movie Her. Ultimately, the plot and characters simply do not stand the test of time.
The Robin Williams Ranking & Performance Score
Robin Williams Performance Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars) Even in a bad movie, Robin Williams delivers a perfect absent-minded professor. He elevates the material, earning an easy 5-star performance score.
Good Mourning Robin Ranking: In our ongoing ranking, Flubber sits near the absolute bottom, placing just below Popeye. Looking at this list reveals a very specific trend: if there are sports in your Robin Williams movie, like the chaotic basketball scenes in Flubber, there is a good chance you are watching a bad movie. Anything with basketball is basically a death sentence.
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
Father’s Day
Popeye
Flubber ⭐
FernGully
Club Paradise
Cadillac Man
Best of Times
The Survivors
Jack
FAQ: Flubber (1997) Movie
What is the movie Flubber (1997) about? It is a 1997 Disney remake of The Absent-Minded Professor where a distracted scientist invents a bouncy, magical green ooze to save his college.
Who played the villain in Flubber? Christopher McDonald plays the villainous Wilson Croft, delivering a hilarious performance reminiscent of his famous "Shooter McGavin" persona.
Did Robin Williams write Flubber? No, the film was co-written by the famous filmmaker John Hughes, though Robin Williams undoubtedly brought his trademark improvisational energy to the role of the professor.
Was Flubber a box office success? Yes, thanks to a massive, inescapable marketing campaign by Disney, the film made a ton of money at the box office despite receiving very poor reviews from critics.
How does Robin Williams' performance in Flubber rank? In our review, Robin Williams earns a 5-star ranking for perfectly capturing the essence of a distracted, genius inventor, even if the movie around him feels like a shameless cash grab.
