Bright, if derivative, farce with Something to Say. What might have been a robust, old-fashioned, star-driven slapstick comedy quickly becomes a picture filtered through the newfound Hollywood sensibilities--meaning it attempts to mix pathos with the laughs. "Mrs. Doubtfire" is swathed in feel-goodness. It has a message deep down, and that's a disappointment. Robin Williams plays a divorced dad trying to earn a living as a voice-over actor but finding his ex-wife (Sally Field) pushing him away. Williams' solution in the 1990s seems to be the same as Dustin Hoffman's in the 1980s: win everyone back while disguised as a woman, a big whirligig of sass and smarts to put everything back on track. As amusing as this is, the plot doesn't have any place to go in the second-half; Mom is dating again, and Dad, incognito as the family's housekeeper, attempts to thwart the romance. It's never made clear if the ex-couple still have feelings for one another. Williams argues with Field with wet eyes and a simpering tone (to tell us he's serious), but she is unmovable with him. It's an automatic downer to see a friendly, appealing actress like Sally Field turned into such a harpy--and not even to advance the plot, she just seems in a perpetual bad mood. The kids aren't annoying, and there are some sweet moments and laughs, but much of "Mrs. Doubtfire" is a combination of syrup and cynicism--not a good match. **1/2 from ****
Review of Mrs. Doubtfire
