Tuesday, December 8, 2009

A Quickie: World's Greatest Dad



Release: 08.21.09
DVD Release: 12.08.09
Rated R
1 hour, 39 minutes


Full Price



Lance Clayton (Robin Williams, Dead Again) is a high school poetry teacher who's also an aspiring author with a stack of rejected novels under his belt. He's also a single dad to an abhorrent son, Kyle (Daryl Sabara, Halloween). Neither his son, his students nor even his girlfriend seem particularly fond of Lance, until the tiniest of white lies makes him the center of attention.

World's Greatest Dad is the brainchild of actor-turned-writer-director Bobcat Goldthwait (Hot to Trot). The events created by Bobcat unfurl at the hands of some richly developed characters. Kyle is so disgusting that even the Reel Whore squirmed at some of his sexually-depraved tirades. While Kyle and his issues are obvious, Bobcat more subtly depicts the flaws of supporting characters like Claire (Alexie Gilmore, Descent) and Mike (Henry Simmons, Madea's Family Reunion). As Lance's situation evolves, it's captivating and disturbing to witness his simple, loving gesture mutate into an unstoppable monstrosity outside of his control.

I've always enjoyed Robin Williams' serious performances, and this role is worth remembering. World's Greatest Dad is well-crafted and darkly funny. While entertaining and heartfelt, the balance of the shocking, the ridiculous and the pathetic truth of people's motivations may not be appropriate for the sheepish. If you like to be surprised, be sure not to let anyone give away the plot before you watch it!

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3 comments:

  1. this dude will still be trying till the grave--he'll be like mickey rooney

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  2. Which dude, Robin or Bobcat? I assume Bobcat.

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  3. actually i meant robin, but now that you mention it, bobcat too....he's really come a LONG way--he used to be a regular almost every morning on a local radio show in San Francisco called the Alex Bennett show--who was the precursor to Howard Stern and Larry David

    ReplyDelete