

Bicentennial Man (1999) 1 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring Robin Williams, Sam
Neill, Embeth Davidtz, Oliver Platt and Hallie Kate Eisenberg. Directed by
Chris Columbus.

 It is in the nature of our species to continually try to better ourselves,
to evolve.

 And you can't fault a person for doing what comes naturally.

 So, I really can't be upset with Robin Williams who seems to have turned
his back on comedy to strive to become an Actor.

 After all, we all want to improve, to continually grow ...
Ah, the hell with it. Who am I kidding? Just call me a selfish s.o.b. I
want my old Robin Williams back, the one who kept me laughing for nearly
two hours in concert back in Columbus, Ohio, about 17 years ago, the Robin
Williams from "Good Morning Vietnam" and "Aladdin."

 I want the spontaneous Robin Williams who appears on talk shows or
performs during Comic Relief.

 This new Robin Williams is creepy. Worse, he's kind of dull and boring.
I'm tired of this touchy-feely guy who began emerging in "Good Will
Hunting" and has invaded my multiplex in "Patch Adams," "When Dreams May
Come," "Jakob the Liar" and now "Bicentennial Man."

 He has become the cliche of the comedian wanting to play Hamlet.

 Maybe this is what attracted him to "Bicentennial Man," an artificial
weeper that is overly schmaltzy and ponderous.

 In the movie, based on a short story by science fiction legend Isaac
Asimov, which was later expanded into the novel, "The Positronic Man," by
Robert Silverberg, Williams plays Andrew, a robot who continually strives
for humanity.
How anyone can see this as an improvement is beyond me, but after all, it
is science fiction.

 We first meet Andrew at the home of Sir (Sam Neill), his wife, Ma'am
(Wendy Crewson) and their daughters, Miss (Undze Letherman) and Little Miss
(Pepsi spokeskid Hallie Kate Eisenberg, who already is beginning to wear
out her welcome).

 At first considered merely a "household appliance," Sir sees a creative
spark in Andrew and encourages him to continue his explorations.

 As the decades pass - the movie covers 200 years - Andrew continues to
grow and evolve.

 But then he falls in love with Portia, the great-granddaughter of Sir and
the granddaughter of Little Miss.

 Both Little Miss as an adult (as well as an old woman) and Portia are
played by Embeth Davidtz, best remembered as Ralph Fiennes Jewish maid in
"Schindler's List."

 So, more than halfway through the movie, directed by Chris Columbus, who
has done better work, we are now involved in a robot/girl love story and
all the cliches that entails.

 The real stars of "Bicentennial Man" are the makeup and special effects
people who created Williams' robot look. Unfortunately, later in the movie
he is given a human face that looks like an old, tired Robin Williams.

 People are going to flock to "Bicentennial Man" no matter what I or any
other critic says. It's inoffensive and the kids will like it, though the
younger ones may become restless because of it's nearly
two-hour-and-20-minute running time.

 But it is a rather weak movie, rife in self-important sounding dialogue
and situations that don't ring true.

 I just wish Robin Williams would quit wasting his time and devolve. Who
says moving forward is always progress?

 Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette,IN.
He can be reached by e-mail at [email-masked] or at
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