4. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
The dumb premise: A recently divorced dad with custody issues is desperate to see his children. Luckily, he has the perfect solution: to dress up as an elderly Scottish woman to become his ex-wife’s housekeeper. Reconnecting with his children from behind his disguise, he begins to understand the error of his ways.
Mrs. Doubtfire‘s premise hinges on the idea that an awful father should get a second chance if he’s willing to deceive everyone he loves. The premise means that it’s a film inherently built on the idea of lies and manipulation, which obviously sounds incredibly problematic. Under a modern lens, it’s also worth noting that it runs the risk of reducing the experience of trans people to little more than a punchline.
Does it work? It really does. It’s not entirely unproblematic, but the skill of the late, great Robin Williams overrides all. It’s impossible to dislike a character played by a man who exudes energy like Williams, which makes Mrs. Doubtfire one of the all-time great comedies despite its initially iffy premise.