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Robin Williams, Marcia Gay Harden, Christopher McDonald, Raymond J. Barry, Clancy Brown ... see more see more... , Ted Levine , Wil Wheaton , Edie McClurg , Jodi Benson , Scott Martin Gershin , Julie Morrison , Leslie Stefanson , Adryenn Ashley , Marcia Gay Holden

Although "flub" is defined as "to make a mess of," the word "flubber" is a contraction from "flying rubber." In this remake of the 1961 comedy-fantasy The Absent Minded Professor, Robin Williams takes... read more read more... on the role created by Fred MacMurray and later executed by Harry Anderson on television, while the 1961 film's Flubber with anti-gravity properties has now been digitally reincarnated as a translucent green, pulsating, bouncing blob that loves to dance the mambo. Absent-minded college professor Philip Brainard (Williams), employed at a near-bankrupt university, creates the formula for Flubber, yet he can't remember to show up for his own wedding to university-President Sara Jean Reynolds (Marcia Gay Harden). His rival, Wilson Croft (Christopher McDonald), plots to steal Sara and the Flubber from Brainard. Rich, corrupt businessman Chester Hoenicker (Raymond Barry) tries to force Brainard to pass his failing son Bennett (Wil Wheaton), but he soon takes an interest in Flubber after hearing about it from his flunkies (Clancy Brown, Ted Levine). After using Flubber to fly over clouds in his 1963 T-Bird, Brainard realizes Flubber can also improve the performance of the school's pathetic basketball team. Jodi Benson is the voice of Weebo, Brainard's talking, flying household robot, with a video display of Disney clips at odd moments. Many gags are embellishments from the 1961 film, with John Hughes (Home Alone) rewriting the original Bill Walsh screenplay (based on Samuel Taylor's short story, "A Situation of Gravity"). Though Walsh died in 1975, he received posthumous credit for this script. Filming began October 8,1996 in San Francisco. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Flixster Users

43% liked it

563,085 ratings

Critics

23% liked it

31 critics

PG, 1 hr. 33 min.

Directed by: Les Mayfield

Release Date: November 26, 1997

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DVD Release Date: June 16, 1998

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Stats: 19,455 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (19,455)

  • spielberg00
    August 12, 2011
    spielberg00
    OK+
  • ajv2688
    July 31, 2011
    ajv2688
    An idiotic remake of a fun kids movie from the 60s. Sure Williams tries to make this movie fun too, but overall it's too stupid and ridiculous even for kids.
  • murphmann93
    June 24, 2011
    murphmann93
    A funny feel good family film!
  • skeletonking101
    March 21, 2011
    skeletonking101
    Lame. Robin williams could have done better
  • bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    July 21, 2010
    bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    C-
  • fb733768972
    January 25, 2010
    fb733768972
    Funny, but dull!
  • ythelastman89
    January 1, 2010
    ythelastman89
    A bizarre movie in every sense of the word. It's too silly for its own good and I must say that I never found it to be an entertaining movie. It's just a reminder that even people like Robin Williams can make stinkers that are this much of a fiasco. It's just a movie about plain ... read morestupidity.
  • dreamfaeries
    August 22, 2009
    dreamfaeries
    Can I get some flubber somewhere?
  • stormyweather980
    August 15, 2009
    stormyweather980
    I don't see why a lot of people didn't like "Flubber." It might not be Robin Williams's best movie, but it's not bad either. I just saw the movie a few weeks ago with my cousin and we both laughed throughout most of the movie.
    Robin Williams develops a new kind of life in the f... read moreorm of flying rubber, hence the name 'flubber.' He's so into his new experiment that he misses his wedding and his life falls apart. He must try to get back the woman he loves while also trying to keep his new invention from thieves.

    "Flubber" has many funny parts, but it will also keep you interested and it has a good storyline. If you like most of Robin Williams's other movies, I don't see why you wouldn't like "Flubber." I recommend anyone to buy it any day of the year. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. Big hype at the time, now one of Robin Williams's least talked about.
  • matertenebraum
    August 8, 2009
    matertenebraum
    An absent minded professor discovers a new type of rubber that can be harnessed as an energy source. However his discovery causes him to miss his wedding and lose his girlfriend. While trying to demonstrate his discovery to Sara Jean to win her back, he gets the attention of mobs... read moreter Hoenicker who wants the discovery for himself.

    The story here is unimportant - it's all a bit daft and if you look too closely at it, it all falls apart. For example - the professor has created a flying robot that has full intelligence and character but yet he hasn't made any money for himself or his college!, is the flubber alive or not? etc. But really it's all about the set pieces and the jokes. As such it falls down a little - it's good for kids but there's nothing in the crude slapstick for adults. Jokes include the usual "people getting hit in the head" style humour.

    Williams character is not funny at all - a bit of a weakness in a comedy lead. In fact his forgetfulness is just stupid at times and doesn't have any charm to cover it. The funniest bits actually revolve around McDonald's Wilson - he doesn't get good lines but he has lots of incidental laughs. Ted Levine and Clancy Brown have both done better than this and are limited to comedy thugs - although both were probably glad to be in a big movie. Other well known faces include Raymond J. Barry and Wil Wheaton, although these are also underused. It's not really a movie about performances but I think it's still important.

    The best characters are Weebo and the flubber. Weebo is quite funny and actually has a deep character - she's the secretary in love with her boss type - she also creates a strangely moving scene. The flubber is good - best in one big musical number halfway through and I wonder if they could have had more imaginative scenes with it as a character rather than just a bouncy ball.

    Overall it's a kids film - don't expect anything more than that.

View All Flubber Reviews

Critic Reviews

Susan Wloszczyna
January 1, 2000
Susan Wloszczyna, USA Today

Manage[s] to squeeze the very bounce out of what should have been a can't-miss update.

Ellen Twadell
January 1, 2011
Ellen Twadell, Common Sense Media

Many kids will enjoy this silly movie. Full Review

Gary Brown
April 7, 2008
Gary Brown, Houston Community Newspapers

The new version is a total dud. Full Review

Carol Cling
September 30, 2005
Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Bring back Fred MacMurray ... a hyper, witless snooze.

Scott Weinberg
April 3, 2005
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Loud, keening awfulness.

Blake Davis
April 28, 2003
Blake Davis, KFOR Channel 4 News

One of Robin Williams's unspeaklably bad filler movies, and maybe one of his worst...and that's saying a lot.

James Sanford
June 23, 2002
James Sanford, James Sanford on Film

Almost everyone in the cast seems to realize they're here purely to kill time between special-effects sequences and the tiresome slapsticky antics served up by screenwriter John Hughes. Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
March 1, 2002
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Just the right mix of slapstick and high tech wizardry. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
September 7, 2011
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Click to read the article Full Review

Joe Leydon
September 12, 2008
Joe Leydon, Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

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Flubber Trivia

  • What is the name of Robin Williams robot assistant in 'Flubber?'  Answer »
  • Who plays Professor Phillip Brainard in the Disney movie Flubber?  Answer »
  • In the film "Flubber" Whos plays the professor?  Answer »
  • in which movie did robin willams miss his wedding?  Answer »
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