15 Best Robin Williams Movies, Ranked

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One of America's most beloved actors for over 30 years was Robin Williams, whose inherently humorous talents were elevated from his classical training at Julliard. After virtually being picked up off the street for a memorable role in "Happy Days" leading to the full spin-off series "Morky & Mindy," Williams became an overnight sensation in 1978. The funnyman then parlayed his success as a stand-up comic and sitcom actor into starring in feature films by 1980. Though best known for his comedic projects, Williams showed a stunning range across his career, especially in notably darker and sinister roles later in his filmography.

Whether it was leaning into family-friend humor, both in live-action and animated projects, or channeling his talents into more dramatic fare, Williams always brought his A-game. In doing so, the late actor left a body of work that continues to stand the test of time and find new audiences generations later. 

Here are the 15 best Robin Williams movies ranked and ready for you to check out or revisit.

Though not well-received by the critics, the 1991 fantasy movie "Hook" has enthralled impressionable audiences for decades and became a commercial hit. A sequel to "Peter Pan," Williams plays the perpetual boy-who-never-grew-up, but now he's all grown-up and a workaholic lawyer in present-day, straining his familial relationships. After a vengeful Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) reignites their feud by kidnapping Peter's children, he follows the sadistic pirate to Neverland. Back in the fantasy world, Peter has to reconnect with his past persona and its magical potential before leading the Lost Boys for a final confrontation with Hook.

Just as the movie is named after him, Hook dominates much of the movie, with the production reportedly becoming a friendly clash of the titans between Williams and Hoffman. "Hook" gives Williams one of his biggest character arcs, going from the uptight and cynical Peter Banning to the joyously energetic Peter Pan. With that in mind, playing the self-serious Banning took a toll on Robin Williams, and he's visibly overjoyed to finally cut loose as Pan. Full of wondrous moments and anchored by strong performances, "Hook" is a nostalgic blast for anyone who grew up with it.

While still heralded as a popular comedian, Williams' big screen career hadn't quite connected by 1984, with his earlier film work gaining a mixed reception. One unassuming critical and commercial success that set the stage for bigger things to come was the 1984 dramedy "Moscow on the Hudson." Williams plays Soviet saxophonist Vladimir Ivanov, who defects to the United States while on a visit with the Moscow circus in New York City. Vladimir then adjusts to life in America, having to give up his musical career to make ends meet as he fundamentally restarts his life.

For something that has a relatively straightforward fish-out-of-water premise, Williams went all in for his "Moscow on the Hudson" role. Training diligently in learning how to speak Russian and play the saxophone, Williams' dedication gives his performance as Vladimir a grounded heart. Though there are certainly laugh-out-loud moments, Williams brings a real pathos to its dramatic scenes, especially as Vladimir reconciles with all he's lost for his fresh start. An unassuming gem just like its protagonist, "Moscow on the Hudson" was an early sign of how well Williams could balance comedy and tragedy.

In 2002, Williams began what he referred to as his "triptych of evil," showing just how dark he could go in three consecutive movies. The first of these projects was "One Hour Photo," a psychological thriller starring Williams as photo technician Sy Parrish. A complete recluse, Parrish develops an unhealthy obsession with a local family who he has developed photos for over the years. When Parrish discovers the family's patriarch is conducting a clandestine extramarital affair, he decides to take matters into his own hands after his idyllic image of the family crumbles.

In the handful of villainous roles that Williams played, his performance in "One Hour Photo" is the actor at his most terrifying. There is a calculated menace to Sy Parrish, something that fully comes to light when he corners the wayward husband as part of his long-standing obsession. This is where Williams' comedic background made him uniquely qualified for his "One Hour Photo" role, understanding necessary tension before delivering a killer punchline. A suspenseful ride into a man's parasocial obsession, "One Hour Photo" predates the wider advent of social media and its observationally toxic potential.

The 2002 pitch-black comedy "Death to Smoochy" is a movie that feels right in Williams' creative wheelhouse, subverting the family-friendly characters he used to play with vicious humor. Williams plays children's show host Rainbow Randolph who is sacked after the FBI arrests him for taking bribes from wealthy parents to allow their kids on his program. Replacing him is Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton), a sweetly innocent man who hosts his show as Smoochy the Rhino. Jealous and desperate, Randolph looks for a way to get Mopes fired while Mopes discovers the dark side of children's entertainment.

Directed by Danny DeVito, who also plays a supporting role in the movie, "Death to Smoochy" is a satirical and darkly hilarious blast. Seeing Williams' character grow increasingly deranged as the movie progresses is a highlight, juxtaposed by Norton imbuing his performance with wide-eyed naivete. That humorous malice divided critics and audiences when the movie was initially released, but it has since grown into a cult classic. Wickedly funny, with Williams combining his comical talents with his darker acting choices, "Death to Smoochy" is a comedy masterpiece that deserves reappraisal.

For the 2006 animated movie "Happy Feet," Williams not only stands out prominently from its all-star cast, but takes on multiple roles in the film. Throughout the movie, Williams provides the narration, through his role as the character Lovelace, while also voicing the separate characters Ramón and Cletus. The movie follows young penguin Mumble (Elijah Wood), who has trouble singing to attract a mate like his peers, but possesses a deep love of dancing. With the help of his friends, Mumble not only bucks the norms held by his colony's elders, but attracts the love of the popular Gloria (Brittany Murphy).

Despite revolutionizing action movies by creating the "Mad Max" franchise, filmmaker George Miller was no stranger to acclaimed children's fare, having produced and co-written the "Babe" movies. "Happy Feet" extends that work to CG animated productions, with Williams clearly having a blast with his multiple characters. Williams would return for 2011's "Happy Feet Two," but the original 2006 movie surpasses it by a country mile. Whimsically charming like its sure-footed protagonist, "Happy Feet" is elevated significantly by Williams' wacky performance.

Oliver Sacks' 1973 memoir "Awakenings" served as the basis for a 1990 drama of the same name starring Williams as Malcolm Sayer, an analogue for Sacks. Set in 1969, Sayer works closely with a group of patients suffering from a sleeping sickness epidemic that lasted from 1919-1930, including a man named Leonard (Robert De Niro). After observing the catatonic patients reacting to different stimuli, Sayer decides to revive them through use of an experimental drug. As the patients become completely aware for the first time in decades, they acclimate to the world around them and how much it's changed.

"Awakenings" is one of the more effectively restrained performances from Williams in his filmography, eschewing his usual quips or knowing looks. Instead, he finds plenty of room to breathe in the quiet moments, embracing the subtlety that they provide in developing his character. During its production, Williams wasn't sure he could make "Awakenings" work with De Niro, but he more than holds his own on-screen. Reining in his usual penchant for manic flash, Williams gives "Awakenings" the solid backbone it needs in contrast to its melodrama.

If there was ever a filmmaker whose inherent quirky eccentricities aligned with Williams' own, it was Terry Gilliam. The two collaborated together on the 1991 fantasy dramedy "The Fisher King," starring Jeff Bridges as radio shock jock Jack Lucas. Lucas becomes despondent when a broadcast drives a disturbed caller to kill a group of restaurant patrons, falling into a deep depression over his guilt. Lucas is helped from his funk by a strange man named Parry (Williams) who believes he has been tasked by God to recover the Holy Grail in New York City.

A much more intimately scaled movie than many of Gilliam's other productions, "The Fisher King" is largely powered by the effective pairing of Williams and Bridges. Despite the serious subject matter, Williams gets to riff and light-heartedly spar with Bridges with their verbal repartee. However, when the mood does turn heartbreakingly raw, Williams snaps to attention accordingly, with one key scene particularly pushing Williams to his limits. Knowingly odd but fueled by that fantastical humor and premise, "The Fisher King" is an underrated gem.

In 2009, Williams teamed up with fellow comic Bobcat Goldthwait for the dark comedy "World's Greatest Dad," with Goldthwait writing and directing. Williams stars as single father and high school teacher Lance Clayton, frustrated that his writing career never took off and by his malcontent son Kyle (Daryl Sabara). After Kyle accidentally kills himself while trying autoerotic asphyxiation, Lance stages his son's death to appear as a suicide to preserve his dignity. Kyle's notorious reputation immediately is discarded by his peers as he becomes something of a celebrated tragic figure, while Lance gains fame passing off his writing as his son's.

Like "Death to Smoochy," the subject matter in "World's Greatest Dad" is dark, to be sure, but it has a surprising amount of heart. Williams gets to run a wide gamut of emotions in his performance, from midlife ennui to grief and jealousy as his estranged son gets the adoration that eluded him. That all said, the movie is still incredibly funny and Williams proves he's just as comedically effective playing his gags deadpan rather than over-the-top. An overlooked indie gem in Williams' wider career, "World's Greatest Dad" is a standout later project from the actor.

The 1997 Norwegian crime thriller "Insomnia" was remade for American audiences by Christopher Nolan in 2002, retaining the original movie's title. The movie follows Los Angeles police detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino), who is sent to assist with a grisly murder investigation in rural Alaska. While pursuing the culprit, local writer Walter Finch (Williams), Dormer accidentally kills his partner (Martin Donovan), who was preparing to testify against Dormer in an internal affairs investigation. Finch taunts Dormer over this as the two engage in a cat-and-mouse game, with Dormer wracked with insomnia over his guilt and the region's perpetual sunlight.

By Nolan's own admission, "Insomnia" is the most underrated movie of his filmography, released just before he started making Batman movies. Nolan's sharp filmmaking style, including his attention to detail, are present, honoring the original movie while forging its own creative ground. This provides an excellent backdrop for Pacino and Williams to play against, with Williams delivering another darkly fascinating performance and a worthy match for Pacino. An underrated and forgotten film from early in Nolan's career, "Insomnia" showcases Williams at his sinister best.

Williams took on a particularly hands-on role with his 1993 comedy "Mrs. Doubtfire," with both he and his then-wife Marsha Garces Williams also producing the project. The movie has Williams play Daniel Hillard, a voiceover actor living in San Francisco with his wife Miranda (Sally Field) and three kids, until a series of mishaps leads Miranda to initiate a divorce. Suddenly, Daniel must find more stable employment within three months if he hopes to share custody of their children. To spend more time with his children, Daniel disguises himself as British nanny Euphegenia Doubtfire while becoming more responsible and finding steady work elsewhere.

Despite its admittedly ridiculous premise, Williams saw "Mrs. Doubtfire" as much more than a cross-dressing comedy, and it shows in the final film. There are plenty of hilarious gags throughout the movie, but it never sugarcoats away the bitterness of divorce, especially with kids caught in the middle. That well-rounded storytelling approach certainly connected with audiences, with the movie growing into the hottest nanny at the box office, becoming the second-highest earner in 1993. A childhood favorite for an entire generation, "Mrs. Doubtfire" is an enduring classic and a personal project for its star and producer.

The 1978 French film "La Cage aux Folles" was adapted into a hit American comedy in 1996 under the title "The Birdcage." The movie follows homosexual couple Armand (Williams) and Albert Goldman (Nathan Lane) who run a drag club in Florida. Armand's son Val (Dan Futterman) prepares to marry Barbara (Calista Flockhart), the daughter of powerful and ultra-conservative Senator Kevin Keeley (Gene Hackman). For Val's benefit, Armand and Albert reluctantly agree to conceal their sexuality and Jewish heritage when Senator Keeley and his wife come to meet them.

A thoroughly screwball comedy, Williams and Lane make a perfect on-screen couple, practically bouncing off of each other at times. Given the premise, the social commentary is prominent, of course, but also enhances the laughs as they come in fast and furious. Williams is actually more subdued than Lane, as he tries to maintain their cover, expertly knowing when to go for broke and when to rein it in. A satirical critique of institutionalized homophobia without forgetting the gags, "The Birdcage" was quietly groundbreaking in its own way.

Williams often played misfits with a heart of gold that buck against rigid norms and one of his best explorations of this dynamic is in 1989's "Dead Poets Society." Set at an all-boy Vermont prep school in 1959, Williams stars the academy's new English teacher John Keating. Keating's unorthodox teaching style inspires his students, especially Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke), but it also attracts the ire of a parent who opposes his son participating in a school-produced play. This leads to a concerted effort to have Keating removed after a tragic development involving the students, despite his stirring lessons.

For "Dead Poets Society," there is a bit more restraint from Williams in his acting choices than one might expect. There are certainly moments when he veers into his overtly comedic sensibilities, but these don't distract from the overall movie. It's Williams' performance that elevates the movie from the melodramatic schmaltz that it very easily could've been. Sumptuously acted with a memorably bittersweet ending, "Dead Poets Society" garnered Williams his second Academy Award nomination and set the course for his career moving forward.

The wartime exploits of Armed Services radio DJ Adrian Cronauer served as the loose basis for the 1987 comedy "Good Morning, Vietnam." The movie follows Cronauer (Williams) when he's shipped to Saigon as the Vietnam War escalates in 1965, with Cronauer providing radio broadcasts to American military personnel in the region. Though Cronauer's irreverent sense of humor proves popular with listeners, it angers his superior officers, particularly Sergeant Major Dickerson (J.T. Walsh). This leads to a battle for control over the radio show, exacerbated by the realities of the explosive war occurring around them.

Though Williams had several modest cinematic successes under his belt throughout the '80s, he had a lot to prove going into "Good Morning, Vietnam." The movie offered him the room to improvise Cronauer's radio broadcasts but also lean into the many dramatic moments throughout the film. Williams worked overtime to create his character, capturing Cronauer's sense of conviction in the face of military brass and the horrors of war, with his comedic sensibilities shining through. A smash critical and commercial success that cemented Williams as a cinematic lead actor, "Good Morning, Vietnam" is a fantastic showcase of his range.

Though Williams starred in tons of family-friendly projects, none are more celebrated and enduring than the 1992 Disney animated movie "Aladdin." A retelling of the classic Arabian folktale, the movie has resourceful street orphan Aladdin (Scott Weinger) tasked with recovering a magic lamp. Upon rubbing it, Aladdin unleashes the powerful Genie (Williams), who offers to grant him three wishes. As Aladdin uses these wishes to woo Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin), he clashes with the kingdom's evil vizier Jafar (Jonathan Freeman).

Considering how monumentally successful it became, it's a wonder that "Aladdin" barely got made at all before wiser heads prevailed. Williams naturally steals the show as Genie, with his performance letting him work in different impressions and sing several show-stopping musical numbers. "Aladdin" continued Disney Animation's winning streak well into the '90s, renewing the glory of its classic animation studio. A triumph that has stood the test of time for over 30 years, "Aladdin" is pure animated storytelling bliss elevated in no small part by Williams.

While Robin Williams deservedly earned several Academy Award nominations throughout his career, his sole win was for 1997's "Good Will Hunting." In a supporting role, Williams plays Sean Maguire, a therapist assisting a brilliant but troubled young man named Will Hunting (Matt Damon). As Will begins to unveil his genius potential, he and Sean work through their traumas together, helping each other reconcile with their respective pasts. This leads Will to decide to leave his hometown behind and pursue a meaningful relationship while Sean begins to move on from the death of his wife.

"Good Will Hunting" is Williams at his most mature and heartwarming on-screen, alternating between vulnerable and reserved across the movie. Williams' first day filming the movie reportedly had Matt Damon in tears, as the seasoned pro infused a new quality into Damon and Ben Affleck's script. The emotional bedrock of the film is Will and Sean's soul-bearing rapport and Williams went above and beyond to bring these key scenes home. Arguably the greatest performance of Williams' entire career, "Good Will Hunting" truly showed the dramatic range he was capable of without diminishing his usual likability.