Flubber
An absent-minded professor races to protect his bouncing, shape-shifting invention while trying to save his college and repair his neglected romance.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- madcap
- playful
- breezy
- family movie night
- lazy sunday
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film's energetic special effects and talented cast undermined by tiresome slapstick and an overemphasis on spectacle.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Professor Philip Brainard is an absent-minded inventor whose unstable Flubber formula drives the film's slapstick set pieces.
Flubber is a rubber-like elastomer that bounces, stretches, lifts objects, and attracts the attention of rival Wilson Croft.
The film foregrounds flying objects, elastic movement, bouncing surfaces, and computer-assisted Flubber effects in comic sequences.
Brainard has already missed his wedding to Sara twice while pursuing his scientific breakthrough.
Films like Flubber, and why
The Absent-Minded Professor
family-friendly science fiction comedy centered on an eccentric inventor and whimsical technology
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
effects-driven family comedy featuring an inventive protagonist, slapstick chaos, and fantastical technology
Back to the Future
warm, visually playful family science fiction comedy about an unconventional scientist and an extraordinary invention
Movie Details
- Director
- Les Mayfield
- Release Date
- 1997-11-26
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (2646)
Cast
- Robin Williams
- Marcia Gay Harden
- Christopher McDonald
- Raymond J. Barry
- Clancy Brown
- Nancy Olson
- Ted Levine
- Wil Wheaton
- Edie McClurg
- Jodi Benson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Flubber about?
- An absent-minded professor races to protect his bouncing, shape-shifting invention while trying to save his college and repair his neglected romance.
- What is Flubber like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Flubber as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Flubber violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Flubber.
- What did critics think of Flubber?
- Critics broadly found the film's energetic special effects and talented cast undermined by tiresome slapstick and an overemphasis on spectacle.
- Which films are like Flubber?
- Films with a similar feel include The Absent-Minded Professor, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and Back to the Future.
- How long is Flubber?
- Flubber runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch Flubber?
- In United States, Flubber streams on Disney Plus.
