--- title: "Mrs. Doubtfire: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/mrs-doubtfire/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/mrs-doubtfire" critics_score: 63 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Mrs. Doubtfire (1993): what the critics said Critics' score 63 from 8 reviews: 4 positive, 3 mixed, 1 negative. The consensus leans favourable, with Robin Williams receiving the most consistent praise, even from critics who find the film thin. The reviews single out his mimicry, improvisation and comic detail as the disguised father, while warmer assessments credit him with conveying the pain behind the farce. Radio Times also praises Chris Columbus for keeping Williams’ exuberance under control and making the comic set pieces work. For the film’s admirers, that combination makes accessible family comedy out of a painful separation. The disagreement concerns how much the performance compensates for the writing. Reservations cluster around sentimentality, sluggish pacing and a sitcom approach that gives the premise too little depth. Some critics accept those weaknesses as the price of the laughs; others find the entertainment too safe. RogerEbert.com offers a distinctly negative assessment, arguing that the film drags and falls short of its premise, with an unfavourable comparison to Tootsie. ## Empire — Caroline Westbrook Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The reviewer notes that despite some uncalled-for sentimentality in the second half, the film remains a laugh riot thanks to Robin Williams' performance as the nanny in disguise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/mrs-doubtfire-review/) ## Radio Times — David Parkinson Rating 4/5. This is family entertainment par excellence, with Robin Williams delivering one of his best performances as the disguised father. Director Chris Columbus is praised for controlling Williams' exuberance while highlighting strong set pieces like the quick-change restaurant scene. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-77z7ps/mrs-doubtfire/) ## Variety — Brian Lowry Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 28 November 1993. Finds it overly sappy and too long but provides a slick showcase for Williams' shtick with broad family appeal, mixing comedy and messages about family. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1993/film/reviews/mrs-doubtfire-2-1200434086/) ## Time Out — TCh Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. The critic describes the film as sitcom-like with laboured farcical interludes and a mushy post-feminist sensibility. Williams' performance as the nanny is singled out as the source of its fun despite the flaws. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/mrs-doubtfire) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 24 November 1993. Notes the film's commercial success due to Williams but laments his shift from anarchic comedy to warm and cuddly roles, calling it a safe and sane but unadventurous entertainment. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-11-24-ca-60193-story.html) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 28 January 1994. The critic finds Mrs Doubtfire a lightweight creation despite the brilliant mimicry of the disguise, comparing it unfavorably to Tootsie for lacking dramatic mileage in the central character. Other elements like the wife and rival are sharper, and the film is seen as Hollywood liberalism that avoids easy resolutions. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-nanny-who-came-in-from-the-cold-1409923.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 24 November 1993. The critic finds the film not as amusing as the premise, with long stretches that drag, comparing it unfavorably to Tootsie as having sitcom values and depth. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mrs-doubtfire-1993) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Duane Byrge 22 November 1993. The critic calls the film a warm, uplifting holiday comedy that should be a major hit, blending broad slapstick with pointed drama about a family's painful separation. Robin Williams delivers a standout dual performance as the father and the nanny, showing both his hyperkinetic humor and the pain beneath it, with strong support from the cast and director Chris Columbus. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/mrs-doubtfire-review-movie-1993-1249137/) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Rating Critic’s Pick. 24 November 1993. Praises Robin Williams' genius for details and improvisation but criticizes the film for spending too much time making nice and not enough making sense, with a simple-minded story. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/24/movies/review-film-mrs-doubtfire-a-wig-a-dress-and-voila-dad-becomes-the-nanny.html) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 26 July 2001. The critic praises Robin Williams' wonderful performance in the role, blending comedy and genuine emotion without cynicism. The film handles the pain of divorce with farce, giving it relevance beyond simple enjoyment. [Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/mrs-doubtfire-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/mrs-doubtfire.md