Sunday, July 27, 2014

First Viewing Reviews: What About Bob?

 Welcome to a new series I am introducing: First Viewing Reviews. Basically, I am reviewing movies (that aren't out in theaters) that I am seeing for the first time. The one I'm going to start with is: What About Bob? 

                                       WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD! IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS MOVIE, 
                                                     SKIP  TO THE END WHERE I GIVE THE SCORE!




New Yorker, Bob Wiley, has problems.


He's afraid of basically everything, germaphobic, and an all around nutcase. He seems to have driven away his previous therapist, so he goes to Dr. Leo Marvin, a highly decorated psychiatrist and author of his new book "Baby Steps."



Dr. Marvin gives Bob the book, and says that he shall be back after his vacation. Bob doesn't want to be away from his doctor, and tries to find out exactly where he is vacationing. He goes so far as to pretend he has killed himself. Once he finds out that Leo and his family are staying in there summer home in New Hampshire, he (and his pet fish, Gill) reluctantly get on a bus.

  

 Once there, he locates Dr. Leo and his fam at a local convenience store. Though Bob has done something very unappropriated (says Dr. Marvin), Leo is not mad. In fact, he never gets mad, or so he says. He tells him to go buy a ticket back to New York, and to go to the coffee shop, and he will call him later. Bob does so, and runs into a older couple who says that Dr. Leo stole their dream house from them, making it the Marvins' summer home. They tell him where the house is, and goes to see Dr. Leo.


Bob meets Leo's family; his wife Fay, daughter Anna, and son Sigmund (Siggy). They all seem to like him very much, and he them. Dr. Marvin is not very happy, though. So. he tells him that he is on vacation, and Bob should be too. He tells him to "take a vacation from your problems." Bob does indeed...in the exact same place Leo is; New Hampshire.


This seems to anger him a bit, especially since he has Good Morning America coming to interview him in a day or so. Leo politely tells Bob to leave. While walking on the road, Anna drives up and ask him if he would like to go sailing. He reluctantly says yes and finds that he actually likes sailing.


 Meanwhile, Leo is trying to teach Siggy how to dive. Leo sees Bob and Anna sailing on the lake near their house. Dr. Marvin gets a bit aggravated with Anna, and she tells him that Bob is fun and he is not. Bob later teaches Siggy how to dive. They invite Bob to stay for dinner, after Leo pushes Bob in the lake, though Dr. Leo doesn't want him to stay. While having dinner, Leo chokes on a piece of what seems to be chicken, but thankfully SuperBob comes to the rescue! 


After SuperBob saves Leo, it begins to rain, and the fam decides to let Bob stay the night. He sleeps in Sigmund's room. And then comes the greatest joke ever told...

If you can't laugh at that, you can't laugh at anything.

Things get interesting, when the Good Morning America folks show up. Of course, they want Bob to be on the show too. Bob steals the show from Leo, and basically ruins it for him. Leo, without telling the fam or Bob, take Bob to a mental institution. But, Bob wins the staff over with...what else?...laughter!


This drives Dr. Marvin insane, and he decides the only way to get rid of him is to kill him! He straps dynamite to him and ties him up in the woods, all while Bob thinks it's some sort of therapy treatment. Leo arrives at the house, and to his surprise, everyone--including his sister who was previously mentioned-- is there for his birthday...that was also previously mention. But, whose got the cake? Bob does, who has somehow gotten free of Dr. Leo's "therapy treatment." Leo unleashes his anger and literally goes insane. Oh yeah, and the house blows up because Bob left the dynamite in the there.


We later find him in a mental hospital. And Bob is getting married to his sister. In complete terror, Dr. Marvin, who hasn't been speaking, yells out "NO". Everyone is happy to hear that Leo is back.


Pros- As you can probably tell, I loved this movie. It not only has an extremely lovable and original story, but makes you laugh hysterically at nearly every one of it's jokes. The casting is absolutely perfect, with Bill Murry as the lead. Bill Murry is simple an amazing actor, and is so very believable as an obsessed psychopath. And of course, Richard Dreyfuss is great as well. Even all of the supporting cast did a great job. This movie is, to put it plainly, very enjoyable and funny. 

Cons- This was a movie I had a very hard time finding fault. I guess one thing I could say is that I am a pretty big Monk fan. Though Bill Murry's performance is terrific, I found myself thinking of Monk and how much better Tony Shalhoub is in comparison. Though, I second guess this, because I think Bob Wiley and Adrian Monk are completely different people and are indeed supposed to act different. 

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Story- 9/10 

I loved the story from start to finish. It's so very original, and different from anything we would see now a days.

Main Characters- 9/10

Bob and Leo are absolutely perfect. They play off of each other so well, and are very likable.

Supporting Characters- 8/10

All of the side characters did a great job, from the fam to Gill the Fish.

Villain- 7/10 

Well, really there wasn't a villain. I guess mental illnesses could be the villain. If so, it did a terrific performance.

Effects/ Animation- 6/10

The effects did what there were supposed to do, but nothing really special. Except the house blowing up. That was cool!

Entertainment Factor- 9/10

There wasn't a time that I was bored. It kept me very interested in the story and where it was going.

Songs/Score- 8/10

The score did an amazing job at capturing the wacky and silly nature of this film.

 
Total Score- 76%

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And for a little added bonus, I found some cool cartoons of What About Bob? (I did not make these, all credit goes to whomever make them. You did a great job.)


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