Overview
A father's love knows no bounds, even if it means dressing up as a woman to stay close to his children.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- irreverent
- warm
- family movie night
- nostalgic comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film excessively broad and sentimental but difficult to resist because of Robin Williams's bright, committed performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Daniel creates Mrs. Doubtfire to gain access to his children after divorce and restricted visitation.
Broad makeup, costume, and household mishaps coexist with the pain of divorce and custody limitations.
Daniel must demonstrate that affection alone is insufficient as Miranda and the social worker assess his fitness.
Robin Williams plays Daniel and Mrs. Doubtfire, creating sustained dramatic irony around the nanny’s true identity.
Films like Mrs. Doubtfire, and why
Tootsie
shared screwball comedy, disguise-driven humor, and identity concealment
Some Like It Hot
shared cross-dressing farce, rapid comic performance, and romantic-social deception
Mrs. Doubtfire
shared family comedy, eccentric caretaker figure, and emotional domestic stakes
Kramer vs. Kramer
shared divorce-related family drama, parental devotion, and bittersweet comedy
Movie Details
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Release Date
- 1993-11-24
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (6814)
Cast
- Robin Williams
- Sally Field
- Lisa Jakub
- Matthew Lawrence
- Mara Wilson
- Pierce Brosnan
- Robert Prosky
- Anne Haney
- Harvey Fierstein
- Scott Capurro
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, Disney Plus, fuboTV, FXNow
- 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 Mrs. Doubtfire about?
- A desperate father transforms himself into an outrageous British nanny to stay close to his children after divorce.
- What is Mrs. Doubtfire like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mrs. Doubtfire as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Mrs. Doubtfire violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Mrs. Doubtfire.
- What did critics think of Mrs. Doubtfire?
- Critics broadly found the film excessively broad and sentimental but difficult to resist because of Robin Williams's bright, committed performance.
- Which films are like Mrs. Doubtfire?
- Films with a similar feel include Tootsie, Some Like It Hot, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Kramer vs. Kramer.
- How long is Mrs. Doubtfire?
- Mrs. Doubtfire runs 125 minutes.
- Where can I watch Mrs. Doubtfire?
- In United States, Mrs. Doubtfire streams on Hulu, Disney Plus, fuboTV, FXNow.
