Yesterday’s sad news of Robin Williams passing away has left many in shock, and our Devin Pike wrote a nice piece about why celebrating his life over obsessing on his death is so very important now. I grew up watching Williams, whether on TV with MORK & MINDY, or in so many of his movies. I genuinely looked forward to his memorable and frenetic appearances on David Letterman, and watched pretty much every stand up routine he participated in with enthusiasm. Though he had become a pretty big box office name in the 1990s, in recent years Robin had developed a somewhat annoying reputation with some. Sappy movies like WHAT DREAMS MAY COME or PATCH ADAMS had some finding they’d reached their fill of the actor, and it seemed as if some of his stronger low budget efforts were getting continually overlooked. He even attempted a return to series television with THE CRAZY ONES, but the show felt like Williams was being obviously stifled by network limitations, and for whatever reason it just didn’t click. While I can admit not all of Robin’s movies were great, and there were certainly some that didn’t age well, I always found his dedication and acting to be top notch. I have said before “I’ve seen some bad Robin Williams movies, but I’ve never seen a bad Robin Williams performance.” He was an actor who always gave 110% with every role, even if he may have known it wasn’t necessarily good material. Starting with his early works and bringing things up to recent years, we take a look at 20 Robin Williams performances that are worth a look, sometimes in spite of the films they’re featured in. Is there one you feel is missing from this list? If so let us know in the comments. Rest in peace, Robin – you leave behind one very incredible legacy.

POPEYE (1980) – I would never presume to call it a good movie, but Williams first starring role on the big screen was an example of how sometimes the right actor can bring a seemingly impossible character to life. Robin embodied everything we thought of in playing Popeye the Sailor Man, drawing inspiration from the cartoons and comic books. Robert Altman’s direction was legendarily awkward and weird, and the film hasn’t transcended the ages the way others from that era did, but it’s one heck of a cinematic debut for Williams.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP (1982) – Based on the John Irving novel, it was perhaps this movie that first showed folks Robin Williams could be something other than the wacky comedian. It’s also a film that has several different emotions on display, and we laugh or cry along with it. I saw it as a kid and didn’t get it at all, but later would revisit it and discover why so many remember it well. Some argue this film is Robin’s first legitimate box office debut, especially since POPEYE was more of “kids” movie than an actual motion picture.

MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON (1984) – We had heard Williams do a variety of voices and accents, almost always under the pretense of comedy, but in this 1984 “fish out of water” tale he plays a Russian musician who moves to America and must adapt to life in New York – and his Russian accent and portrayal of a Soviet is incredibly well done. He becomes friends with a black man and takes on an Italian girlfriend (oddly enough played by Maria Conchita Alonso), so the film dealt with cultural differences while showing how different races and ethnicities could find harmony. It was probably more effective at the time of release than it would be today, but it’s another early example of how Robin could disappear into a role, especially one that seems so unlike one you’d expect him to play.

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM (1987) – It’s impossible to exclude the movie which garnered Robin his first Oscar nomination. On the surface he’s playing a radio DJ who livens things up during the Vietnam war by being wacky on the air, but eventually the realities of war start to affect his personal feelings, which he purposely keeps off the airwaves. Based on the real life Adrian Cronauer, who supposedly did not use comedy in his real broadcasts, this film was retooled from Cronauer’s script and catered to Williams’ strengths, which obviously proved to be a smart move.

DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1990) – Hard to not love this one. Williams is again nominated for an Oscar playing a teacher who has a passion for poetry that fills the minds of his students, and changes their lives forever. Robin is actually used sparingly here, as the real story is about the kids and their lives. But the scenes he occupies are powerful and smart, and I defy you not to tear up at the end.

CADILLAC MAN (1990) – A film that some might consider throwaway comedic fare follows Robin as a car salesman and womanizer, who finds himself holed up in his dealership with others when the significant other (Tim Robbins) of one of his lovers shows up wielding a gun. Williams has to use his salesman smarts to talk his way out of the jam, and while there are certainly funny bits throughout, there’s just enough seriousness to make this a performance that deserves to be seen. It’s a manic and funny character piece, but there’s a realism here too that makes it one of my personal favorites.

AWAKENINGS (1990) – Robin was on a roll in 1990. This third effort of that year paired him with Robert De Niro, who starred as a man catatonic with encephalitis. Robin plays a doctor who brings him out of it, and helps reintroduce him to the world. It’s a film filled with heartwarming and heartbreaking moments, and strong performances from both actors, but again shows that Williams can hold his own next to one of the greatest actors to come out of Hollywood.

THE FISHER KING (1991) – Terry Gilliam’s strange tale of two men who find themselves on a modern day quest for The Holy Grail is visually quirky and cool, and features stellar performances by both Willams and Jeff Bridges – it earned Williams yet another Oscar nomination. It’s also a movie you can’t talk about too much without the risk of giving away certain plot points. Many consider it to be a modern day classic, and it’s one that benefits from second viewings. I actually watched it once in high school as part of a class. Even then I knew I was seeing something special. While not a movie I originally had any interest in (probably as the trailers didn’t really do a good job of selling it), it’s one I’m very glad I now know well.

HOOK (1991) – Steven Spielberg’s update on the Peter Pan tale is loved by some and loathed by others, but definitely wasn’t treated to well by critics upon its release. While the first 90 minutes or so of the lengthy 144-minute running time are rather slow-moving, it makes up for it a bit with a exciting conclusion. But even in the most monotonous scenes, Williams finds a way to bring forward the humanity in his grown up Pan, now a family man taking life too seriously. One scene that always gets me involves Peter spying on his son Jack, who is playing a baseball game with Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman). When Jack hits a home run, Peter starts to cheer, only to hear Hook call Jack his son… Peter’s look and realization that he’s “losing” his son is heartbreaking. It’s one of many moments that Robin makes incredibly effective, and in many ways his performance makes up for the film’s many other shortcomings.

ALADDIN (1992) – Disney set a precedent with the casting of Williams as the energetic genie in this animated tale, which meant many similar films would go after a big name as a selling point for kid fare. Robin’s take on the character steals pretty much every scene, and undoubtedly kept the animators crazy busy trying to bring to life his vocal stylings. The end result helped redefine the Disney movie motivations, and showed everyone something we all should of suspected – Robin Williams was one hell of a voiceover artist.

TOYS (1992) – Robin re-teamed with GOOD MORNING VIETNAM director Barry Levinson for this ambitious effort. Visually stunning, many regard it as a mess of a film, and it’s certainly a bit disjointed. The “make love not war” message is a bit heavy handed, but Williams makes the lead someone you can’t help but root for. It’s one of those movies you could argue is either just bad or highly misunderstood, but it’s definitely one of Robin’s more daring attempts, and should be seen at least once if only to be discussed.

MRS. DOUBTFIRE (1993) – This is the film all the new outlets reference for Robin, and was easily one of his biggest cinematic hits. For years there have been rumors a sequel would happen, though it’s hard to imagine topping the original. Like some of the other fare on this list, this is one of those concepts that’s kind of hard to swallow, but Williams sells it and makes it endearing. It’s got the right balance of comedy and drama, and still plays well many years later.

JUMANJI (1995) – It’s one of the more flashy entries on the list, but the excessive CGI isn’t the reason to watch this mid-nineties popcorn fare. Williams plays a man trapped inside a old board game, released when two kids play it in the present. While director Joe Johnston does his best to keep things exciting, and for the most part it is rather entertaining, the overall presentation should come across as pretty silly. Yet somehow Robin carries things and adds a sincerity to it. It’s a testament to Williams and his abilities to make even the oddest material somehow work, and find a way to keep audiences enraptured. Those over-abundant special effects look pretty dated today, but Robin’s portrayal still has a charm to it after all these years.

THE BIRDCAGE (1996) – Among Robin’s comedic performances, this is one of the strongest and most regimented, and definitely one of his best. The fact that the main characters are gay is almost unimportant here, though that story element is a big part of the humor. In many ways the film feels like a throwback to old Jack Lemmon movies, but with a modern day theatrical backdrop. Williams and the great Nathan Lane are fantastic as the main couple, and as their antics ramp up through the film we find ourselves laughing harder and harder, but we never stop loving the characters even after the film ends. This is one of those movies I try to watch at least once a year, and it never gets old.

JACK (1996) – On the surface the idea of Robin Williams playing a boy who has rapidly aged to where he looks like a grown man seems like just a comedic plot device, but the Francis Ford Coppola film (yes, he directed this) was in some ways like a reverse pre-cursor to THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. There’s silliness watching Robin play the awkward boy in a man’s body, but when reaching the story’s end, watching Jack graduating college, is all at once heartwarming and tear-inducing… again, because Williams finds a way to sell it.

GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997) – You pretty much have to include this performance, as it’s the role that won Robin his only Oscar. Playing the seasoned college instructor who coaches Matt Damon (as a mathematic genius janitor), Williams finds his largest amount of humanity in this character. It’s another serious role, but has many moments of unexpected emotion. We had seen Robin play these teacher archetypes already, but somehow he reinvents the persona in a fresh and effective way. I wonder, especially now, if it’s the man that was most like the real life Williams as he was in private.

BICENTENNIAL MAN (1999) – Based on the short story by Isaac Asimov, I originally hated this film on my first viewing. It has Williams playing an android who struggles to acquire human emotions, and eventually live like a human man. After seeing it a few more times, I still found it less than stellar, but it’s yet another example of Williams taking what could have been a one-note character and finding ways to make it interesting. It’s also a film that flounders for its first half, but becomes increasingly fascinating the longer you stick with it. The ending is something we can all find solace with, and it’s Williams’ delivery that sells it.

ONE HOUR PHOTO (2002) – The 2000s found Williams entering a “darker” period with his performances, with this film being the strongest of those efforts. Robin plays a photo developer (remember those?) who takes his job incredibly serious. His lonely existence leads to an obsession with a friendly family, and he takes things just a little too far, leading to a tragic and rather heartbreaking end. It’s an incredible part for the seasoned actor, and a risky role that would have fallen apart in the hands of the wrong actor. It’s also the first time I can remember watching a film where I forgot I was watching Robin Williams… he just vanishes into this creepy character, and it’s an incredible thing to experience.

INSOMNIA (2002) – Christopher Nolan’s remake effectively captured the aesthetic of functioning on no sleep (trust me, I know), but wasn’t a huge hit with American audiences, despite its slick presentation and strong performances from Al Pacino and Robin Williams. But take the time to soak up Williams as the calculating villain, one of his strongest turns in a bad guy role. I remember going to the film to see what Pacino could do, but leaving the film thinking only about Robin.

WORLD’S GREATEST DAD (2009) – The most recent entry (and now most haunting film on the list) re-teamed Williams with writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait (SHAKES THE CLOWN), in a story about a struggling writer who uses the idea of suicide to cover up the rather embarrassing death of his son. Let’s just say that now it will hit a little too close to home, but it was a reminder of just how great Robin could be, even with dark material, and was perhaps one of his most-daring performances to date. It’s also a frequently misunderstood film, in that the the father and son duo, while not exactly saints, are merely a catalyst to show how grief can sometimes warp others around you into something really ugly. If you see it, think really hard about why Robin’s character does what he does at the end, as there’s a lot more to it than what’s on the surface.

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