Okay, VHS adventurers, let's rewind the tape to 1997. Remember that year? Tamagotchis were demanding our constant attention, the Spice Girls were telling us what they really, really wanted, and somewhere in a chaotic home lab, a certain beloved comedian was whipping up a batch of uncontrollable green goo. I'm talking, of course, about Flubber, Disney's high-energy, high-bounce remake of the 1961 classic The Absent-Minded Professor. Pull up a comfy beanbag chair (remember those?), maybe grab some Dunkaroos if you can find 'em, because we're diving into this blast of late-90s family fun.
Right off the bat, Flubber feels like pure, uncut Robin Williams. He stars as Professor Philip Brainard, a brilliant but hopelessly scatterbrained scientist on the verge of both financial ruin and missing his third attempt at marrying his long-suffering fiancée, Dr. Sara Jean Reynolds (Marcia Gay Harden). His distraction? A revolutionary discovery: a sentient, rubbery, hyperkinetic substance he dubs "flying rubber," or Flubber. This stuff doesn't just bounce; it practically defies physics, amplifying any energy applied to it. And naturally, chaos ensues.
A Goopy Green Star is Born
Let's be honest, the real star here, alongside Williams' manic energy, is Flubber itself. In 1997, seeing that vibrant green blob zoom, dance, and splat across the screen felt like pure movie magic. Created using a blend of computer-generated imagery (a major undertaking back then) and practical effects wizardry, Flubber had personality. Remember those little jazzy riffs it would do? That wasn't just random bouncing; the effects teams at ILM (Industrial Light & Magic, legends already from Jurassic Park) worked hard to give the goo character, responding to Williams' improvisations and the film's zany tone. It was the kind of movie magic that made you genuinely wonder, just for a second, if something that cool could actually exist.
The film was directed by Les Mayfield, perhaps best known at the time for comedies like Encino Man and Miracle on 34th Street (the 1994 version). What’s fascinating is the screenplay credit includes the legendary John Hughes, working alongside Bill Walsh (who penned the original Absent-Minded Professor), adapting Samuel W. Taylor's short story. While it doesn’t quite have the nuanced heart of Hughes' teen classics like The Breakfast Club, you can feel echoes of his knack for family dynamics and slapstick situations bubbling beneath the surface, especially in the film's sillier moments.
More Than Just Bouncing
Beyond the main Flubber plot, where Brainard tries to save his college and win back Sara while fending off nefarious rivals (including a perfectly smarmy Christopher McDonald as Wilson Croft, Brainard's academic and romantic rival), there's the surprisingly touching subplot involving Weebo. Voiced by the great Jodi Benson (Ariel from The Little Mermaid!), Weebo is Brainard's hovering robot assistant, complete with a pop-up screen displaying classic film clips to express her emotions. She harbors a secret crush on her creator, adding a layer of unexpected sweetness and melancholy to the film. Honestly, Weebo's fate might be the moment that sticks with viewers the most, a surprisingly poignant beat in a film largely dedicated to cartoonish physics. Watching it again, you appreciate how Weebo provides much of the film's heart.
Retro Fun Facts
Digging through the old video store archives (metaphorically speaking!), Flubber comes with some fun tidbits. The film was a sizable production for Disney, with a budget reportedly around $80 million – a hefty sum for a family comedy in the late 90s. It aimed to capture the nostalgic magic of the original Fred MacMurray film while updating it with modern effects and Williams' unique brand of comedy. While it pulled in a respectable $178 million worldwide at the box office, critical reception back then was decidedly mixed (hovering around 24% on Rotten Tomatoes). Many critics found it overly reliant on slapstick and felt it didn't quite capture the charm of the original. Yet, for a generation of kids watching it on VHS, it was often pure, unadulterated fun. Did you know the Flubber basketball sequence involved complex wirework and digital compositing to make those impossible shots look believable? Or that Williams, ever the improviser, reportedly came up with numerous lines and gags on the spot, keeping the cast and crew on their toes?
The Verdict: Does it Still Bounce?
Revisiting Flubber today is like finding a favorite old toy in the attic. Sure, some of the CGI looks a bit dated compared to modern blockbusters, and the plot relies heavily on familiar tropes. The humor is often broad, leaning into slapstick that might feel a bit frantic for some. But there's an undeniable charm here, largely fueled by Robin Williams doing what he did best – unleashing boundless energy and finding moments of genuine warmth amidst the chaos. Marcia Gay Harden provides a grounded counterpoint, and Christopher McDonald relishes his role as the villain.
It’s a film that doesn't ask for deep analysis; it asks you to simply enjoy the ride, the sheer silliness of bouncing bowling balls and flying cars (the Flubber-ized Thunderbird!). It captures that late-90s optimism, that feeling that technology (even goopy green sentient tech) could solve anything, wrapped up in a brightly colored package. For many of us who first saw it on a rented tape, maybe during a sleepover or a rainy Saturday afternoon, it remains a fond memory. It’s a film that aimed to delight kids, and on that level, it often succeeded spectacularly.
Rating: 6/10
While it might not be a cinematic masterpiece, Flubber earns its score through sheer nostalgic charm, Robin Williams' infectious energy, and the undeniable fun of its central concept. It’s a bit messy, a bit loud, and undeniably a product of its time, but like the substance itself, it has a certain buoyant quality that’s hard to entirely dismiss.
So, if you spot that familiar cover at a thrift store or see it pop up on streaming, give it a watch. It might just make you feel like a kid again, wondering what amazing, slightly chaotic inventions are waiting just around the corner. And maybe, just maybe, you'll find yourself humming that little Flubber dance tune.