Mrs. Doubtfire - A Movie Review

If this works out, nobody will recognize me as Mrs. Doubtfire.

Mrs. Doubtfire arrived in theaters in 1993. After his divorce from his wife, Daniel is desperate to stay in contact with his kids. He hatches an idea when his wife is in need of a nanny. Disguising himself as a middle-aged woman by the name of Mrs. Doubtfire, he’s unrecognizable to anybody.

Mrs. Doubtfire will never lose its energetic charm. On this day, seven years ago the world lost the talented Williams. With the acting acclimations driven by the late Robin Williams, Mrs. Doubtfire drives home several themes. Life is never fair, but we should make the best of it and keep building memories.

The late Robin Williams drove Mrs. Doubtfire to its success. Not the most perfect man, Daniel’s love for his kids is a trait to admire. Williams was astounding in his comedic and emotional performance. Acting as a genuine woman, Williams was no stranger to improv. Reportedly, the actor improvised so much that multiple different versions of the film exist.

In my opinion, this is Sally Fields’ best work. Miranda is a complicated character. Gradually, we understand her perspective about her opinions on Daniel. Field was stupendous, especially in her wild big-eyed expressions. She and Williams were terrific in all their interactions learning about things they never paid attention to.

Playing the roles as the kids, Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence, and Mara Wilson in her film debut were wonderful in their performances. They each had great direction for their journeys. Divorce hits every member of the family differently. The right behavior was noted throughout the film.

Mrs. Doubtfire would not be memorable without the talents of several actors. I am so glad that the film avoided making Pierce Brosnan out to be a villain. After this film, many female audiences wished for Pierce Brosnan to come into their lives. Harvey Fierstein is also a gem, sporting his unique charm.

One aspect about character that makes Mrs. Doubtfire stand out is how you don’t have to agree with their actions. Most of the characters make mistakes, notably Daniel. That’s normal. As humans, we make mistakes, sometimes forgetting ourselves.

Divorce is the main theme of Mrs. Doubtfire. It’s a hard subject to portray, but Chris Columbus handled it with the utmost respect. All families are different. It’s important for children and adults to have an understanding of the meaning of divorce. It’s not easy, but with teamwork and the right communication, families will get through it together.

Columbus filmed as many takes (reportedly 15 to 20) as he was impressed by Williams’s improv skills. He let actors choose what came naturally. I will never get tired of this film. It’s hard not to watch Mrs. Doubtfire whenever it’s on. It’ll make you laugh, smile, and helps find an answer.

Shoutout goes to the makeup team for Mrs. Doubtfire. Williams actually went out to stores dressed in drag. Nobody (not even his own son) recognized him! The makeup for the famous character took four hours to complete.

Several famous lines came out from this film. Williams is the master at making audiences laugh. If it wasn’t for his improv we wouldn’t have most of these quotable lines. And remember when the icing was melting from his face? The lights happened to be hot. The restaurant sequence is forever the most iconic scene from this film.

Robin Williams will forever live on in the memory of this film. If you have not seen it, you have to see Williams in one of his best films. Mrs. Doubtfire is a classic.