It's kind of fitting as I decided to decline Disney's kind invitation to pay 33% more for my Disney+ that this is the last of their films that I watched. It sums up the mediocrity of this once innovative source of vibrant and creative animation - and presents us with a derivative version of a film that Jerry Lewis might have made in the 1960s if he'd owned "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" - and no, "Flubber" isn't even a dolphin! It all relies on the rather annoying performance of Robin Williams in the role of the madcap scientist "Prof. Brainard" who is determined to save his college from closure by coming up with a miracle invention. His woes don't just stop there, though. His fiancée "Sara" (Marcia Gay Harden) might just be seeing another man! Anyway, what he does manage to create is the eponymous, extremely independently elastic, green gunge that can be everything from load bearing to ultra-stretchy. Needless to say, this attracts the attention of rivals and so he must now focus on a two pronged offensive to protect his sludge and keep his gal. There's only so much the talented Williams can do here before the whole thing just sinks into it's own green goo. The script is borderline puerile and even a flying car can't really rescue this from a rather disappointing predictability. At least it's short and sweet, but really hasn't an original bone in it's flexi-body!
Professor Phillip Brainard, an absent minded professor, works with his assistant Weebo, trying to create a substance that's a new source of energy and that will save Medfield College where his sweetheart Sara is the president. He has missed his wedding twice, and on the afternoon of his third wedding, Professor Brainard creates flubber, which allows objects to fly through the air.
Quick Stats
5.7
TMDB Rating
2,636
Votes
1h 33m
Runtime
$80.0M
Budget
$178.0M
Box Office
223%
Return
Key Crew
DirectorLes Mayfield
WriterJohn Hughes
CinematographyDean Cundey
ComposerAndrew Somers
EditorMichael A. Stevenson
Production DesignStephen J. Gardner
Produced by
Walt Disney PicturesGreat Oaks Entertainment
Where to Watch
Streaming
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Critics & Reviews
1 featuredCast

Robin Williams
Professor Philip Brainard

Marcia Gay Harden
Dr. Sara Jean Reynolds

Christopher McDonald
Wilson Croft

Raymond J. Barry
Chester Hoenicker

Clancy Brown
Smith

Nancy Olson
Secretary at Ford Motor Company

Ted Levine
Wesson

Wil Wheaton
Bennett Hoenicker

Edie McClurg
Martha George

Jodi Benson
Weebo (voice)

Leslie Stefanson
Sylvia
M
Malcolm Brownson
Father
B
Benjamin Brock
Window Boy

Dakin Matthews
Minister
Z
Zack Zeigler
Teenage Boy






