What About Bob? (Film Review)

1991 Buena Vista Pictures
Directed by: Frank Oz; Written by: Tom Schulman
Starring: Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss, Julie Hagerty, Charlie Korsmo, and Kathryn Erbe
MPAA Rating: PG; Running Time: 99 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 8/10

Bob has jumped from therapist to therapist, with each fleeing for the hills after a few sessions. While Bob is somehow able to both hold down a job and keep an apartment in New York City, when he's dealing with a therapist, he can barely walk down the street or get on an elevator. Enter the perfect target, the pompous Dr. Leo Marvin, who can't see Bob for who he is, and thinks a quick session and his book will fix Bob and get him off his back. Leo goes on a lake vacation with his family, a trip that will double as leisure time and the backdrop for an interview with Good Morning America about his new book. However, Leo is shocked to find that somehow, Bob has followed him to the small, lakeside town. Before Leo knows it, Bob has ingratiated himself to Leo's family and insinuated himself into his vacation. As Bob's presence increases, Leo soon finds that it's he who is losing his mind, and his family, and his profession...to Bob. This is a comedy.
The literal events of 1991's What About Bob are fuel for a horror film, but under Frank Oz' direction, the deft hand of his actors, and with sharp writing by Tom Schulman, the film is hilarious and strangely comforting. As the titular character and in one of his signature roles, Bill Murray brings a manic charisma that's believably debilitating to Leo Marvin as well as lovable to Marvin's longsuffering family. As Dr. Marvin, Richard Dreyfuss brings a delightfully uptight and ego-maniacal energy to the film. Murray and Dreyfuss' infamous onset animosity is amped up and exploited by Oz to create something magical and memorable, perhaps not funny at the time for the actors, but certainly so for the audience. Or at least I think so. Some audience members may find the awkward humor of the film uncomfortable. To that, I say, stop being a Leo.