Throw Back Thrusday: My Top Five Robin Willams Performaces.

After the tragic loss of the beloved Robin Williams last week, I thought it only fitting to do my top five Robin Williams performances. Let's get one thing straight, this wasn't easy. Usually an actor is lucky to have around 3 or four brilliant roles, Williams however, has so many brilliant performances that to narrow it down to just five was certainly difficult. Now lets begin this celebration of a truly spectacular actor.

Number 5:  Mrs Doubtfire.
After a bitter divorce, Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams), an unemployed actor 
disguises himself as a female housekeeper, in order to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife(Sally Field).
Mrs Doubtfire for me, along with Aladdin, was my first exposure to Williams as a comedy tour de force. My farther showed me this film and, truth be told, I could not stop laughing at the satire on display. 
Williams' dynamism bursts through that muddled British accent and countless amounts of prosthetics terrifically. There is a well-balanced blend of physical and dialogue based comedy that Williams delivers without fault. 
However, it is his balancing of light-heartedness and emotional despair, as a father who will do anything for his children, that reveals to us that Williams can register on both a humorous and dramatic scale. 

Number 4: Patch Adams.
After committing himself to a mental institution, Patch Adams (Robin Williams),  discovers that using humour helps his fellow inmates, and motivated by a new found purpose in life Adams trains to become a doctor and hopes to test his new hypothesis, that laughter is truly the best form of medicine.
Williams as Adams is truly the definition of a feel good story.  Despite not being critically acclaimed, Patch Adams was a box office hit, which I think acts as a testament to a wonderful performance by Williams. He expertly dictates the gravitas of the situation with sheer professionalism, that shows both his comedy genius and dramatical ability to convey sheer emotion.
The narrative, based on a true story, is worth watching itself with brilliant morals and a great feel good atmosphere. But with Williams as the lead, the picture seems elevated to a new high.

Number 3: Good Will Hunting.
Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor at M.I.T., has a gift for mathematics, but needs help from a psychologist (Robin Williams) to find direction in his life. In his Oscar Winning role as Sean Maguire, Williams really did set the bar high for what a supporting actor can bring to a film. 
Despite not containing nowhere near the amount of manic comedy as his previous films, Williams still ensures we laugh through improvised dialogue. Instead, Williams delivers his most real, heartfelt and human performance that was deserved an Academy Award. 
His character is a perfect foil for Will, and without his performance Good Will Hunting would struggle to be as good as it is. 

Number 2: Aladdin. 
In a stereotypical Disney plot Aladdin, a street urchin, accidentally meets Princess Jasmine, who is in the city undercover. They love each other, but she can only marry a prince. In my opinion however, it is when we meet William's Genie, that the film becomes something special. 
As a child, the fast talking all over the place Genie was (pardon the pun) magic. Williams stole the show, ad-libbing countless dialogue, shooting jokes from all angles and never failing to make us laugh. 
This role captivates Williams' energy and ability to pull humour out of nowhere. In an endless cycle of joke after joke, after impression, this non stop performance will go down as iconic to many a generation.

Number 1: Dead Poets Society.
My Number one Robin Williams role has to be his performance as John Keating, an English teacher, who through his maverick approach to education inspires his students to fall in love with poetry and seize the day. For me, this is the Williams performance I have the most attachment to. As an aspiring English student, Dead Poets Society is a perfect film, and Williams is the voice guiding us as elegantly as a gondolier navigates the canals of Venice.
Every line is delivered with passion, and a real sense of commitment to the role. Although not the most comedic role of Williams' career, he handles the seriousness of situations with sheer dignity, and is even able to bring a light hearted chuckle to a dramatised moment without it ever seeming forced.
This is a tremendous performance, worthy of the most talented of actors, and it is this role for me that ensures Williams will be remebered as one of the best to grace our screens.