There seems to be a certain level of expectation from brilliantly comedic actors who take on more dramatic or darkly comic roles. When it comes to Robin Williams he has a particularly difficult challenge because he has both proven his dramatic acting chops (think, “Awakenings,” “What Dreams May Come,” “Good Will Hunting”) and discredited them (think “One Hour Photo”). In “World’s Greatest Dad,” Williams teams up with director Bobcat Goldthwait. Bobcat Goldthwait, who, for those who remember, dominated the latter part of the 80s with a range of kooky characters with muddled, distorted speak in classics like “Police Academy” and “One Crazy Summer.” The idea of these two comedic players teaming up to pull off a dark comedy opens the door to both great expectation and the very real possibility of great disappointment. And in this case, it’s the latter. Williams stars as Lance Clayton, a single father who struggles with the fact that his dream of being a recognized, published and respected writer has amounted to stacks of returned and unpublished manuscripts and a gig as a rather unpopular high school poetry teacher. Meanwhile, he’s got a nightmare of a son who can’t seem to stay out of trouble at school or keep from offending, insulting and practically abusing everyone around him. Clayton is lonely and does not relate to a single soul in his little, almost claustrophobic world. And maybe that’s why he is so easy on his horrid and only son Kyle (Daryl Sabara) who doesn’t seem to quite fit in either, which is putting it lightly. The story takes a turn with the tragic, untimely death of Kyle – hated by everyone in life – but soon to be revered and turned into a symbol of teenage angst by all in death…with a little help from his dad. In the wake of Kyle’s death, Clayton goes through a bit of a metamorphosis, from frustrated, ignored, relative nobody, to a sensationalized character in a made up story, wanted and respected and even lusted after by coworker, Claire (Alexie Gilmore). The comedic and dramatic chops of Williams make him an excellent candidate for the character of Clayton. And he plays his part well. Keep an eye out especially for a dramatic scene in the first act in which father discovers his son lifeless. Williams is painful to the point of giving the viewer a grief ridden, twisted feeling in the back of the throat. He is heartbreaking. The problem is Goldthwait gives Williams the green light on dramatic subtlety, only to over exaggerate each and every other character. Kyle is meant to be unlikable but to achieve that Goldthwait, who also wrote the film, writes him as less a teenager experiencing sexual curiosity and insecurity, a troubled kid with a foul mouth – and instead a spout of profane verbal diarrhea whose obsession with odd sexual behavior is so forced that it borders on making the viewer feel assaulted. In moments when Clayton is searching for someone to relate to, the story of this man who is utterly unhappy in his life, returns – but it is as if Goldthwait is afraid there might not be anything original about such a storyline and suddenly there’s an ill fitting musical sequence with Kyle popping up as a spirit in his old school hallways, in odd costume, creepy, silly and nauseating all at the same time. William’s performance is strong – if unfortunately outdone by all the other oddities and he is the only good thing about the movie. Even the music works against it, as Clayton is a big Bruce Hornsby fan. The artist even makes a cameo. Goldthwait’s effort is admirable and going in, one really wants this movie to work. But instead of making this thought-provoking movie with depth, it feels garbled and peculiar – much like the disheveled character he so perfected. Back then, however, Goldthwait’s character was beloved despite his unevenness and offensiveness. The same can’t be said for “World’s Greatest Dad.”
2 yaps