Country: United States
Genre: Comedy
Director: Frank Oz
Year: 1991
Rating: 
TRASH CINEMA HIGHLY RECOMMENDED MOVIE
What About Bob? is a one joke movie, but it’s a good one.
Bob (Bill Murray) is Dr. Leo Marvin’s (Richard Dreyfuss) new patient. Right after their first session, Dr. Marvin goes on vacation for a month. Bob tracks down Dr. Marvin at his vacation home, exhibiting classic stalker behavior, but an odd thing begins to happen: as Bob’s neuroses are ameliorated, Dr. Marvin becomes increasingly deranged.
I should point out that What About Bob? is in no way a trashy movie, which is why I’m putting this review in the Loose Talk category. It goes a little over the top in the third act, but all of the behavior of the characters is firmly grounded in reality.
Yes, What About Bob? is a character comedy. It doesn’t depend on flatulence jokes, penis jokes, pratfalls, or grossouts for it’s laughs. The humor comes at the expense of Dr. Marvin, who is a classic narcissist (to use his own jargon). It’s really fun to see him tortured, although the humor is so cruel that you might find yourself feeling just a bit sorry for Dr. Marvin.
Richard Dreyfuss nails the role of Dr. Marvin, making him arrogant and insensitive enough that we enjoy him being the butt of the joke, but not so loathsome that we don’t believe his family would be supportive of him. It’s a tightrope walk, and Richard Dreyfuss treads it brilliantly.
Likewise, Bill Murray has to convince us that Bob truly is wacko, but at the same time charming and funny enough that Dr. Marvin’s neurotic family would embrace him. Mission accomplished.
These actors are not working in a vacuum, though. Master screenwriter Alvin Sargent came up with the story, along with producer Laura Ziskin, which was then pounded into a airtight working screenplay by Tom Schulman. Director Frank Oz keeps the pace at a near screwball comedy level. You barely have enough time to catch your breath.
What About Bob? is also blessed by an excellent supporting turn by Julie Hagerty as Dr. Marvin’s wife.
The look of the film is bright and sunny, which is probably just as well, considering how black the comedy is.
I wonder if the average therapist would be able to laugh at What About Bob? The humor might hit a little too close to home. But my guess is that almost anyone who has ever been in therapy would have a blast watching it.
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