I don't like Robin Williams.
Let me be absolutely clear: Not liking him doesn't mean I'm glad he is dead and doesn't mean I dislike every movie he's ever been in. I like the movies where he isn't playing himself and his death is genuinely tragic and horrific. So I truly hope you aren't "that person" who focuses on the wrong thing here.
Knowledge is knowing that the high school football player trying to juggle bottle rockets will get his arm blown off by doing so. Wisdom is not saying "you knew it would happen" when it finally did happen, because you'd get your ass kicked. Not because you wanted it to happen-but because people thought you wanted it to happen.
Knowledge is knowing that Robin Williams, when playing characters that were zany and insane for too long and without it being part of the character is not good Robin Williams. Wisdom is knowing that if you say that, be prepared for people to take it totally out of context.
One Hour Photo is good Robin Williams. It shows his exceptional acting skills and his ability to play a deeply disturbed character that is totally unlike his cute and cuddly persona. I greatly enjoy that movie even though it's tough to watch and disturbing in parts. Frankly lots of good movies can be unsettling.
Patch Adams is bad Robin Williams because of how manipulative it is. He shoves sentimentality down your throat and basically forces you to feel for the character. It's basically like screaming "Feel my pain damn you!" The amazing Roger Ebert said it better than anyone could about this movie, "it's like extracting tears from you one by one." Sadly I think Robin Williams too often did just that.
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