

Bicentennial Man
1 Star (Out of 4)
Reviewed by Mac VerStandig
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http://www.moviereviews.org

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Bicentennial Man is an impuissant and confused movie that follows a 
robot through 200 years neglecting to ever develop another character in 
depth or share with the audience that the title-referenced bicentennial 
will mark the end of a journey that seems to be equally as long and 
laborious for the audience. Director Chris Columbus' film centers around 
a not-very-entertaining Robin Williams as Andrew, the aforementioned 
machine, and his trials and tribulations which are as unexplored as the 
West Indies that other guy named Columbus supposedly discovered.

In "the not too distant future" we meet the Martin family and their 
newest household appliance: Andrew. Our protagabot ventures from 
generation to generation of a cliched and overly dull Martin family- 
mostly women. He also comes across a few other humans and robots, but 
none interesting enough to warrant any attention in this review. They 
come and go, Andrew stays, and the movie limps it way through a 
Jetsons-style future setting.

Now banished to a fate worse than ordinary reruns, TV Land, there was a 
delightful 1960's Don Adams show (that Fox unsuccessfully tried to bring 
back a few years ago) called Get Smart. Richard Gautier, a relative 
unknown that never ventured past G. I. Joe fame, played Hymie the Robot. 
Much like Andrew, Hymie was a machine that actively sought life and 
commonly found himself in hilarious situations were his inner-workings 
were experimented with ineptly. Hymie was friendly and romantic, yet 
inevitably robotic. Richard Gautier may not be Robin Williams, but the 
show is just as funny and doesn't cost $7.75 and an otherwise good 
Friday or Saturday night.

The positive end of this almost-dead battery does have some traits of 
which to boast. In a time where they are rare, Bicentennial Man is a 
movie that you needn't be embarrassed to take Grandma and the tots to. 
Robin Williams is very funny and touching with some traditional Disney 
tear-jerking scenes. The explanation offered of sex is edited to a level 
of general appropriateness. But the movie is even confused about its 
family traits as we learn that being human is the ultimate 
accomplishment and you needn't mourn the dead (for all those that pass 
away, only one tear is seen). We are also told that imperfection is the 
key to life and marriage can be taken lightly.   

This film also marks 1999's Christmas time family film that most wants 
to be the next Miracle on 34th Street or It's a Wonderful Life. Last 
year, Chris Columbus entered Stepmom into this notorious yet largely 
unspoken contest, following his slightly more appealing earlier bids 
which include Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire. Mr. Capra, rest assured, we 
don't need a robot to locate the West Indies.