‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Beautifully Balances Realism With Comedy

While Mrs. Doubtfire isn’t in my mother’s top ten favorite movies, she has always loved this movie. She tells me that she loves that Daniel (Robin Williams) and Miranda (Sally Field) don’t get back together in the end. It’s not a sad ending, but it’s not the happy one we’ve come to expect either.

Due to personal circumstances, it resonates with my mother. Because she loves it, I have also learned to love it, though that wasn’t hard. Robin Williams is a hard actor to not love.

Mrs. Doubtfire is a lesson in how things don’t work out the way we want them to, but we can always move on and cope with what we have.

Better Apart

From the beginning, it’s clear that Daniel and Miranda aren’t a great match. Daniel is far too carefree, too spontaneous. Miranda is a structured, traditional woman. Their personalities just do not mesh. When two people are so different, it’s hard to keep them together.

However, Daniel still pines for Miranda — a feeling that is not reciprocated. He also misses his children, whom he has limited custody of. Daniel, being the creative genius he is, creates the character of Mrs. Doubtfire to be around his children more.

It’s a classic Robin Williams comedy. Ridiculous things happen and he is at the center of it all. But through all the laughter, there’s a strand of genuine connection. There’s a core of understanding of human nature and how relationships sometimes just don’t work out. It’s no one’s fault, it’s just how it goes.

A Father’s Love

Mrs. Doubtfire is a humorous example of how far a father will go for his children. It’s outlandish and silly, but it ends up being a touching representation of Daniel’s love. The movie also shows us that Mrs. Doubtfire is not the only change that Daniel makes for his children. He also learns to cook, clean, sew, and other domestic chores to make his apartment a suitable home for his children.

It’s a comedy but it’s also a story of improvement and hope. All the slapstick and the innuendos are part of a bigger story of a man improving himself and his life for his children. Daniel’s life is far from perfect, but he makes small fixes to better it and be there for the children he loves so much.

When I watch this movie, I sometimes wonder if my father would go as far as Robin Williams’ character. I love him dearly and I know he feels the same way. I have no trouble believing that my father would go as far as humanly possible for me. Would dressing as a British housekeeper be too far? That I don’t know, but I’d like to think he would, as strange as that would be for me. (If you’re reading this, Dad, I love you far more as yourself than I would as a British housekeeper.)

Miranda is Not the Bad Guy

It’s easy to paint Miranda Hillard as the bad guy here. She doesn’t share Daniel’s fun-loving attitude and she’s more strict with the children. But, it’s important not to adopt that mindset. Miranda loves her children just as much as Daniel and she has a right to happiness as much as he does.

One thing I love about Mrs. Doubtfire’s casting is Pierce Brosnan as Miranda’s new boyfriend, Stuart. While we understand the animosity and jealousy that Daniel has toward Stuart, it’s hard to feel the same way; after all, this is James Bond we’re talking about. It’s very hard not to fall in love with Brosnan in any role he’s in. This casting choice makes it easier to see Miranda and her new boyfriend not as vengeful antagonists but  people trying to navigate relationships the same way everyone else in the movie is trying to.

This is such an important element for a movie about divorced parents. It’s easy to place blame for what happened. A lot of kids who grow up with divorced parents can feel like it was one parent’s fault or the other’s. Mrs. Doubtfire emphasizes that this is not the case; sometimes relationships just don’t work out. My favorite quote comes from the end of the movie from Mrs. Doubtfire herself talking to a girl who has written a letter:

You know, some parents, when they’re angry, they get along much better when they don’t live together…And sometimes they get back together. And sometimes they don’t, dear. And if they don’t, don’t blame yourself. Just because they don’t love each other anymore, doesn’t mean that they don’t love you.

A Comedy with Heart

It’s hard sometimes to make something funny while also having a message to share. Mrs. Doubtfire is able to do so wonderfully. The physical comedy in this movie is hilarious and Robin Williams is at his career best with his one-liners and accents. But it never loses sight of the message it wants to send.

Mrs. Doubtfire is one of the few movies that really can make me laugh and cry. It doesn’t feel like the movie is trying to pander to my emotions either. It’s a sincere, heartfelt effort to reach out to the audience and say that life is crazy. It can be funny and it can break your heart. Sometimes your dad will dress up as a British housekeeper. But, that’s life. And we’re all along for the ride.

Follow MovieBabble on Twitter @MovieBabble_ and Kali Tuttle @tuttle_kali2.

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