Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Robin Williams | ... | ||
Marcia Gay Harden | ... |
Dr. Sara Jean Reynolds
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Christopher McDonald | ... |
Wilson Croft
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Ted Levine | ... | ||
Clancy Brown | ... | ||
Raymond J. Barry | ... |
Chester Hoenicker
(as Raymond Barry)
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Wil Wheaton | ... |
Bennett Hoenicker
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Edie McClurg | ... |
Martha George
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Jodi Benson | ... |
Weebo
(voice)
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Leslie Stefanson | ... |
Sylvia
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Malcolm Brownson | ... |
Father
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Benjamin Brock | ... |
Window Boy
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Dakin Matthews | ... |
Minister
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Zack Zeigler | ... |
Teenage Boy
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Sam Lloyd | ... |
Coach Willy Barker
(as Samuel Lloyd)
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Professor Phillip Brainard, an absent-minded professor, works with his assistant Weebo, trying to create a substance that's a new source of energy and that will save Medfield College where his sweetheart Sara is the president. He has missed his wedding twice, and on the afternoon of his third wedding, Professor Brainard creates flubber, which allows objects to fly through the air. It looks like rubber, so he calls it flubber. This film is based on the 1961 Disney classic, "The Absent-Minded Professor. Written by Anonymous
This movie had a lot of potential. While technically impressive and very enjoyable with some genuinely funny moments, for some reason it falls short. Of course there are redeeming qualities, such as the fun music score by Danny Elfman, one of my all time favourite film composers and an amusing turn from Robin Williams. Also the special effects are greatly improved from the effects in the Absent Minded Professor, and Flubber who is so cute steals the show. The performances from Clancy Brown, Ted Levine and Marcia Gay Horden are entertaining, and Jodi Benson (who voiced Ariel in the Little Mermaid)is a delight as the voice of Weebo, whose death is absolutely heart-rending. However the story is very predictable, and offers few surprises, and the physical comedy was better than the patchy script which in places felt uninspired. That saying some of the physical comedy has strong hints of deja vu, and is rather hit and miss. Of course kids will lap it up, but adults probably won't like it as much. The second half of the movie is more meandering in quality compared to the first half, very little of interest happens and some of the situations come across as ridiculous. All in all, somewhat forgettable, but for a kids movie it is pretty entertaining. 6/10 Bethany Cox