Robin Williams was a versatile actor and an exceptional comedian. Born on July 12, 1951, and tragically dying on August 11, 2014, aged 63. Williams left us with a legacy of great movies from The Birdcage to Good Morning, Vietnam.
Join us as we explore the best Robin Williams movies, each worth watching again to celebrate this beloved actor.
Honorable mention: Mrs. Doubtfire is the movie most people think of when they consider Robin Williams. However, we’ve left Mrs. Doubtfire off our top 10. Not because it isn’t great, but because we want our top 10 to be different from others.
World’s Greatest Dad, 2010
World’s Greatest Dad is a deadpan and dark comedy movie. It is directed and written by comedian Bobcat Goldthwait, who you might better know as Zed from Police Academy 2.
The story is about an English Teacher (Lance Clayton), played by Robin Williams, who upon discovering his son’s accidental death, fakes a suicide note to evade scandal. Lance writes a diary too, which takes the story in an unexpected direction. The movie failed at the box office but its unique plot and risky subject matter made it a must-watch for many Williams’ fans.
The Birdcage, 1996
Robin Williams plays Armand Goldman, a Miami club owner who runs a drag show with his partner (Nathan Lane). Armand pretends to be straight for his son’s future wife, who has very conservative parents.
The Birdcage is a classic 90s comedy. Fun fact: Steve Martin was meant to play the role of Williams’ character first; however, due to scheduling issues, Williams got the role. The Birdcage beat The English Patient to win the SAG Award in 1997.
Insomnia, 2002
Before Christopher Nolan was off winning Oscars for major biopics (Oppenheimer) he was crafting unmissable twisting movies like Insomnia – and some may say Insomnia is the most underrated by Christopher Nolan.
In the movie, a teenage girl is murdered in Alaska, and Will Domer (Al Pacino) and his partner Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank) are sent to investigate this case. Williams plays Walter Finch, who let’s just say isn’t the protagonist here. Williams got a lot of attention for his role, playing a completely different character type from what he’s usually famed for.
The World According To Garp, 1982
The next one on our list is The World According to Garp. The story is an adaptation of John Irving’s novel of the same name. Williams plays the lead role, T.S. Garp, who wants to become a fiction writer, but as his mother opens a center for troubled women, Garp gets involved.
As an actor, Williams was able to show off his range in this movie, which earned Academy Award nominations.
Good Morning, Vietnam, 1988
Robin Williams’ is both energetic and compelling in Good Morning, Vietnam. This role was Williams’ first nomination for an Academy Award.
The movie revolves around Robin Williams’ character, Adrian Cronauer, who is a radio comedian drafted to entertain the soldiers. In the movie, Cronauer falls for a local woman who helps him understand how the war is destroying the country.
The Fisher King, 1991
Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges star together in The Fisher King. Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges), a former radio DJ in freefall, looks for redemption by helping a homeless man named Parry, played by Robin Williams, find his wife. The movie takes you on a roller coaster of emotion and earned Robin Williams an Oscar nomination.
August Rush, 2007
Robin Williams plays Maxwell Wizard in August Rush, a cruel surrogate father who makes money by panhandling children. The movie is about Evan Taylor, a musical genius who lives in an orphanage. Evan runs away to New York, believing it will lead him to his family, but instead, it leads to Williams’ Maxwell Wizard.
Fans of the movie always talk about the chemistry between Freddie Highmore’s Evan Taylor and Williams. The movie was praised for its music and the “Raise It Up” song from the movie was nominated at the 80th Academy Awards.
Aladdin, 1992
Despite Disney’s remake of Aladdin, the 1992 animated movie remains the best. Without a doubt, Robin Williams’ genie steals the show, with his character taking on the mannerisms and characteristics of Williams.
With an outstanding audience score on Rotten Tomatoes of 92% and an IMDB rating of 8.0, this is a must-watch movie, perfect for family nights.
Dead Poets Society, 1989
You’ll find Dead Poets Society atop of most Robin Williams’ movie lists. The movie is about Welton Academy, an all-male boarding school. The academy hires a new English teacher, John Keating, played by Robin Williams. Keating is the founder of the “Dead Poets Society,” where students read poetry together.
The movie is sensational, with Williams earning an Oscar nomination for his role – and the movie winning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Good Will Hunting, 1997
Good Will Hunting is one of the best movies of all time, and it is the relationship between Matt Damon and Robin Williams that makes it so. The movie is about mathematics genius, Will Hunting (Matt Damon), who works as a janitor at MIT.
However, Will has a tough personality and is referred to a therapist, played by Williams. Williams won an Academy Award for his performance in the movie. Amazingly, Matt Damon only acted in the movie after he lost a role in a crime movie.
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