Williams isn’t the only pal who appears in “World’s Greatest Dad.” Boston’s own Tony V. sees some screen time, as does Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and a prominent ’80s musician whose cameo is a funnier surprise when not revealed here.
If you put together pot brownies, autoerotic asphyxiation, suicide sensationalism and Robin Williams as a high school poetry teacher, it may sound like the makings of an ill-advised sequel to “Dead Poets Society.”
But this is “World’s Greatest Dad,” a darkly humorous tale from writer and director Bobcat Goldthwait.
In stark contrast to Williams’ “Dead Poets” teacher, his character in this new film is in danger of having his class canceled due to lack of interest.
“When we first went to film that, the cinematographer stood on the desk when Robin came in and said, ‘O Captain, my Captain,’” recalls Goldthwait, who has been buddies with Williams since their days doing standup comedy together in the ’80s.
But to make a Bizarro “Dead Poets” was not Goldthwait’s intention.
“Even though Robin and I were really good friends, I never thought I’d have such a giant guy play the part,” says Goldthwait, his voice still hitting some of the squeaky and growling tones that used to characterize his comedy act.
Goldthwait says working with Williams again was a very collaborative process. Although he wrote the script in advance, he was open to Williams’ improvising. In one gripping scene, his character is on a talk show, discussing his teen son’s sudden death, and as Goldthwait tells it, “he started having a real breakdown while we were filming and that’s what’s in the movie. And I’m kind of a jerk because I go, ‘That was really good, can you do that again?’”
‘World’s Greatest Dad’
opens this weekend