World's Greatest Dad

Hmmm… This movie doesn’t fit into any particular genre. It certainly isn’t a comedy; it’s more like a drama (that quickly descends into a melodrama). It seems to be a treatise on mob hysteria or group think; how it happens and how ridiculous it looks. In addition, it is the perfect “how-to” manual if you want to be a pathetic parent.

Robin Williams (“August Rush” and “Man of the Year”) is the ineffectual father of a truly unpleasant teenager, played by Daryl Sabara (“Her Best Move” and “Halloween" 2007) who not only doesn’t respect his father, he loathes him. With an apologetic little half-smile, Williams teaches poetry― ineptly―in a fictitious Seattle high school, where two of his fellow teachers are portrayed by Alexie Gilmore (“Definitely, May- be” and “Mercy”) and Henry Simmons (“Madea’s Family Reunion” and “The Insurgents”). Partway into the movie, Williams’ character is confronted with a horrific situation, but in a clumsy attempt to lessen its effects, he makes matters infinitely worse and things quickly spiral out of control.

It was fun for the screening audience to spot familiar Seattle scenes, including an iconic restaurant in West Seattle, but most of it could have been (and was) shot elsewhere.

Writer/Director Bobcat Goldthwait (LOTS of TV) warns us to be careful what we wish for because we just might get it. As expected with Goldthwait, the language is bluntly pornographic, and the screenplay is often silly and embarrassing. In my opinion, these two former stand-up comics didn’t do each other any favors with this one!

In re-reading this, I can see there was no one to root for, so I guess I didn’t much like it, did I!