What About Bob? | Rotten Tomatoes

What About Bob?

PG

1991

1 hr. 40 min.

Comedy

List

82%

44 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Before going on vacation, self-involved psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss) has the misfortune of taking on a new patient: Bob Wiley (Bill Murray). An exemplar of neediness and a compendium of phobias, Bob follows Marvin to his family's country house. Dr. Marvin tries to get him to leave; the trouble is, everyone love Bob. As his oblivious patient makes himself at home, Dr. Marvin loses his professional composure and, before long, may be ready for the loony bin himself.

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Critics Consensus

Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss' chemistry helps make the most of a familiar yet durable premise, elevating What About Bob? into the upper ranks of '90s comedies.

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Taylor G

This is not a comedy. It is a horror movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/21/24

Full Review

Afe A

Reminds me of my life

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/15/23

Full Review

Larry K

A classic comedy! Too funny

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/11/23

Full Review

Carla M

Absolutely one of my favorites! I got it on DVD (yea, I know, outdated! LOL) and I watch it often! It's still hilarious after all these years!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/14/23

Full Review

Wayne K

Despite the many ups and down he's experienced in both his personal and professional life, Bill Murray will always be a welcome addition to any comedy, and What About Bob is widely regarded as one of his finest comedic performances; intense and unrelenting, frustrating and somewhat tiresome, just like the character he's playing. He's counterpointed perfectly by the uptight and egotistical Richard Dreyfuss, who starts off as his psychotherapist but ends up essentially being his victim. Dreyfuss and Murray famously got along badly during filming, a trait surprisingly common in Murray films, but whatever backstage animosity they had adds fuel to an already contentious relationship, and many of the best scenes are simply spent watching the 2 work off each other. The great thing is, the film never paints either side as being entirely right or wrong. It depicts Bob as a kind-hearted soul who loves to spend time with people, but also acknowledges that his overbearing personality and multiple neuroses make him a nightmare in the long run. It shows how Leo's work ethic and drive have made him wealthy and successful, but his vanity and narcissism have left him distant, aloof and uncaring. Things get progressively more preposterous as the film carries on, but the humour is always there, and the family dynamic give it its emotional centre. It might not be the best comedy Murray has ever done, but it's one you wont easily forget.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/04/23

Full Review

Andy S

(I'm Mistletoe Virus I'm saying I like this movie!) one of the best comedies of the 90s! Great odd couple pairing Bob Wiley (Bill Murray) is a wacky oddball. Doctor Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss) is a confident NY psychotherapist who is looking forward to a "Good Morning America" appearance to push his book. It could be a horror movie?! If characters was a serious.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/11/23

Full Review

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Frank Oz

Director

Bill Murray

Bob "Bobby" Wiley

Richard Dreyfuss

Dr. Leo Marvin

Julie Hagerty

Fay Marvin

Charlie Korsmo

Sigmund "Siggy" Marvin

Kathryn Erbe

Anna Marvin

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Duane Byrge

Hollywood Reporter

Murray and Dreyfuss play off each other to their maximum advantage: Murray does what he does best, to shine-on and ultimately destroy authority figures, while Dreyfuss' portrayal of the runty doctor is splendidly Napoleonic.

May 21, 2018

Full Review

Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

Murray, with his curious blend of pathos and aggressiveness, is terrific, and so is an acutely uptight Dreyfuss, never once copping a plea for our sympathy.

Oct 5, 2008

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

This cruel but effective black comedy violates credibility at almost every turn, but the concept itself is so strong hat it winds up working pretty well anyway.

Mar 13, 2007

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

This is a comedy? Dementia is an insidious and terrible disease, and Hollywood seems to find it very laughable. [Full review in Spanish]

Dec 8, 2022

Full Review

Sean Collier

Box Office Prophets

What About Bob? is carried, almost single-handedly, by a peak performance by Murray, whose work here is the equal of his turns in Ghostbusters or Caddyshack.

Rated: 7/10

Jul 8, 2019

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...an affable endeavor that isn't quite the comedy classic one might've anticipated.

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 4, 2017

Full Review

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Synopsis

Before going on vacation, self-involved psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss) has the misfortune of taking on a new patient: Bob Wiley (Bill Murray). An exemplar of neediness and a compendium of phobias, Bob follows Marvin to his family's country house. Dr. Marvin tries to get him to leave; the trouble is, everyone love Bob. As his oblivious patient makes himself at home, Dr. Marvin loses his professional composure and, before long, may be ready for the loony bin himself.

Director: Frank Oz
Screenwriter: Tom Schulman, Alvin Sargent, Laura Ziskin
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $63.5M
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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