On the surface, What About Bob? doesn’t seem like much more than the conventional, by-the-numbers comedy that were produced by major studios, who normally managed to attract popular actors to let loose for a while, giving them the opportunity to have fun and play to a much wider audience. All of this is certainly true, and there is unfortunately not going to be any effort to imply that Frank Oz made a subversive masterpiece that is layered with meaning and nuance, at least not anything more than what we can see from the outset. What we can discuss is precisely how this film has stood the test of time, becoming a classic of a genre that has so many similar works, it’s easy to see it as just one of the several upbeat comedies that don’t carry much meaning beyond the general narrative. This film has been widely embraced as a cherished example of a well-constructed comedy that doesn’t need to offer anything other than a series of decent jokes, delivered by actors who know how to lean into the humour without spiralling out of control and becoming heavy-handed in its efforts to be funny. Oz is a reliable director, and while it may not necessarily be the most ambitious of his films (at least not in comparison to a few more notable works), What About Bob? is every bit as delightful today as it was three decades ago, when the world was first introduced to the eccentric Bob Wiley, and his long-suffering psychologist who finds himself terrorized by a man who may have a good heart, but who makes his life nearly impossible – and who of us cannot relate to this kind of story in some way?

It’s important to note that not every film needs to be revolutionary or offer something entirely new – it’s ideal to find works that are much more interesting and give us something we haven’t seen before, but with over a century of solid filmmaking, this is increasingly difficult. The remedy is simply to acknowledge that if a film can’t be original, it can at least be effective when it comes to retreading old traditions. Oz is not necessarily the first person we think of when considering directors who are known for versatility and audacity, but he does have a solid style that lends itself to the kinds of films he makes, which are almost always endearing comedies that range in subject matter and tone, but still have a degree of fascinating detail when it comes to how they differ from other films from their respective eras. What About Bob? has a very traditional structure, taking its cue from both the era of screwball comedy, as well as the “odd couple” scenario that Neil Simon and his peers somehow perfected to the point of it becoming the foundation for a vast majority of broad comedies of previous decades. Both of these components work together exceptionally well, and come to form the foundation for this bitingly funny buddy comedy, which is essentially all it can be condensed to when we look at both the style of humour and the story being told. Obviously, Oz is not a filmmaker to waste the opportunity to find the joke in any situation, and What About Bob? is certainly filled to the brim with the outrageous humour we’d expect from such a premise, while still being relatively direct in its intentions, and adhering quite closely to what it was aiming to be, which makes an enormous difference when we consider it in comparison to other comedies. 

The main attraction of What About Bob? are undeniably the two stars – Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss are two actors who have mastered their respective fields within acting, and come together to play the main characters of this film, to hilarious effect. You could not find two actors more mismatched than this duo, which Oz successfully captures in every frame of this story. It’s difficult to find anything written about this film that does not mention the troubled production of What About Bob?, in which both Murray and Dreyfuss were feuding to the point of needing physical protection – and while some of the stories are incredibly disturbing, somehow we can see this tension reflected on screen. As perverse as it may sound, there’s a certain authenticity to seeing a film where two characters that are rivals are played by a pair of actors who had sincere disdain for one another as a result of both their differing styles, and internal conflict. It makes their performances seem so much more real, especially since they’re both doing terrific work – Dreyfuss has never been this outwardly funny, while Murray is at his most off-the-wall, which leads to a very effective comedy, one that finds ways to filter the genuine tension into something memorable. While we would all hope that every film set is tranquil and filled with respect, What About Bob? proves that a grudge or two can go a very long way to pulling out dedicated performances from actors who somehow hate enough in real life more than their character despise each other in the context of the film, which is one of the primary reasons behind the resounding success of this film over time.

Simplicity really is the key to understanding why What About Bob? has become such a well-loved work of comedy. The 1990s saw many attempts to reinvent the genre by taking it in a number of new directions, and it didn’t help that there was an influx of young directors that came through the independent film movement, making comedies that were far more daring and provocative. There is merit in tradition, and while we should never compare mainstream films to more arthouse productions in most instances (since it adds a level of expectation to both that neither of them can truly live up to), it is important to remember that studio films, when made well, can be absolutely delightful. One of Oz’s most intriguing qualities as a director is that is not someone who will pass over any potential joke – everything that can be the basis for a funny moment is taken advantage of, granted it is within reason and at least logical, which is where this film thrives, since it feels like it is constantly trying to find new ways to make us laugh, without trying so hard that it feels like it is overly earnest, which is clearly the work of Oz and his close collaboration with screenwriter Tom Schulman, who had written a few celebrated screenplays before this one. The humour is sharp and biting, but also gentle enough to not be seen as overly provocative – the premise could have lended itself to some heavy-handed commentary, but Oz had the good foresight to know that everything needed to be kept to a consistent level, so the offbeat humour is not contrasted with moments of unneeded sentimentality, but rather maintained in a far more logical manner, which allows it to be a much more well-conceived comedy than we’d expect at a cursory glance.

What About Bob? is as straightforward as a film like this can be, but it never sees this as a liability. There’s comfort in tradition, and this film certainly takes advantage of every moment in order to provide something compelling and endearing, even at its most conventional. There’s really not too much that can be said about it outside of just noting that it features a seemingly non-stop barrage of hilarious moments, delivered by a very gifted cast that manages to turn in strong and hilarious performances despite personal conflict, even adding to the tension that is so palpable and effective in conveying the story. It’s a hilarious and irreverent film that plays by the rules, but in a way that actually has a significant amount of meaning, rather than being a series of forgettable moments that make us laugh, but don’t linger with us for much longer than the running time. What About Bob? is a lot of fun, and packs a great deal of content into its relatively paltry 90 minutes, which is standard length, but seems oddly short, which is a credit to Oz as a filmmaker, since his ability to make the audience crave more time with these characters, despite their clear flaws, makes for profoundly endearing and captivating cinema, and the kind of comedic filmmaking that chooses consistency over originality, a fair trade when the result is something as outwardly delightful as this film.