‘World’s Greatest Dad’ is Williams’ Best Movie in Years

Bobcat Goldthwait's career can be traced back to 1983, when he got his first big break appearing on Late Night
With David Letterman. He basically went on as a comic until retiring in 2005, having starred in Police Academy two, three and four in addition to appearing in random bad flicks
up to 1991 when he wrote, directed and starred in the cult classic Shakes the Clown. Stand-up may have launched his career; however Shakes brought him into the public eye. After that, he directed random episodes of such his-style shows as Crank Yankers, The Man Show, Chappelle's Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live! (which he did 267 episodes of). He also did Goldthwait Home Movies, a series of home videos that he shares commentary on with buddy Tom Kenny (who gets a cameo in World's Greatest Dad) and Kenny's wife Jill Talley. The movie may have been only eight minutes long, but it showed a more personal side of Goldthwait that reminded me of Judd Apatow when he did Funny People.
An essential move if Goldthwait wanted to be taken seriously as a writer/director, not just someone who spray-painted "Paramount Sucks" on Arsenio.

Robin Williams and Goldthwait have always been pals; having a brief partnership going under the aliases "Marty Fromage" and "Jack Cheese". Goldthwait used the name when he was in the movie Tapeheads, with Williams covering his name on the credits of Shakes where he shortly appeared as Mime Jerry. So it was cool to know some of the back-story to Dad prior to seeing it, so you can look for cameos like Kenny's and roles like Williams. Williams played it entertaining, sort of like a way better version of Nia Vardalos in I Hate Valentine's Day. He keeps a smile on his face at all times, hiding his true feelings about the world and people in general.

World's Greatest Dad opens on Williams' character Lance Clayton. He's a writer, but none of his work has ever been published (which really says something, since there's so much that was denied by publishers). Lance works at his son Kyle's (Daryl Sabara, a great asshole teen) high school as a poetry teacher. He's dating Claire (Alexie Gilmore), another teacher, but she doesn't want their relationship public. However she has no shame in showing affection to Mike (Henry Simmons) when an article of his is published in the New Yorker. "It's the first thing I ever sent in!" Lance's life sucks. His son hates him; his (secret) girlfriend might be cheating on him; his writing gets him nowhere; his poetry class might be cancelled, thus losing his job. The first half of Greatest Dad is disgusting brilliance. We clearly see his son choking himself whilst masturbating (all I can think of is David Carradine whenever I see this now, rest his soul) and from there it only gets worse. Goldthwait sticks his middle finger to the MPAA with World's Greatest Dad. The screenplay is as gross, unfunny, moronic; tasteless as it is genius, hilarious, original and true. An instant cult classic that in its own way is slightly moving.

The soundtrack that plays I have to say make the movie. It's mostly by Bruce Hornsby, who also receives a cameo in Dad. With the help of the pop/folk sound, Goldthwait directs World's Greatest Dad somewhat like one long, giant music video. The world's best long giant music video! If you thought that Brüno was dirty, wait until you see this. In The Loop is the greatest comedy of the year by far, however I'm not counting out Dad at all. One of the funniest comedies in the recent decade. Pure poetry. Dirty poetry, but poetry still.

Five out of five stars.