The World According to Garp (1982)

Wonderful character development!

Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

The World According to Garp is a great movie with a very well developed plot and a tremendously talented cast. Based on a bestselling novel, the film manages to balance many complex story and character arcs that ensue throughout that are all interconnected, but also vastly different, and I can gladly say that I was equally invested in all of them. I will admit that the film gets carried away with itself, going on for far longer than it should and becoming a little overbearing on occasion. There is a lot of messages and metaphors going on that it does start to become a tad overindulgent, trying too hard to make the audience feel something rather than letting it happen naturally. The cast is all around spectacular, Robin Williams shines in his first dramatic role and he proved from the get go, and I would imagine surprised many at the time, that there is more to him than just his funny, improvisational side, there is a soulful truth in his performance throughout. Glenn Close is also terrific as the strong willed, protective mother who wants the best for her son, she goes through a complicated arc that she handles with grace. Lastly, John Lithgow is absolutely phenomenal in this role as a trans, taking it on with full force and a caring nature that I am sure this community can look at fondly, he clearly tackled the role with great softness. Flawed, but very memorable. Funny and heartwarming, The World According to Garp is heavy, ranging from various emotions throughout, if you are looking for a good drama, it is certainly worth the watch. A young man finds his life being controlled by his wife and mother, he soon finds himself searching for freedom. Best Performance: Robin Williams

This is a must see for movie buffs, a probably for Williams fans, a maybe for liberals and it seems likely to be loathsome to the far right. It's ... bizarre? Garp has some great stars AND the funny might leave you breathless at times but it shouldn't leave you tongue-less.It's ... uh ... an interesting movie. I can't recommend it simply because I doubt most people would enjoy it today. I can watch it every 10 years or so.

While "The World According to Garp" is a nice movie, it is not quite as memorable as I would have expected. I haven't read the Irving novel, so I don't know how true to the book the film version is.The story follows Garp from his birth up to adulthood and parenthood, and it follows all those in his life and family. There are too many events to go through, so it is better to say that you should watch the entire movie, because a synopsis hardly do the entire story justice.Despite being from 1982, then the movie still holds its own today and can be watched every now and then with some years passing.What makes "The World According to Garp" good is the cast ensemble and the very impressive performances they all deliver. In the lead role as Garp is Robin Williams, who handled a serious role quite well. Playing his mother Jenny was Glenn Close, and she really brought something solid to the movie. But most impressive was John Lithgow in the role of a post-op transsexual NFL player. Lithgow was amazing in this movie. Mary Beth Hurt playing Garp's wife Helen also did a good job with her character.The movie runs a bit over two hours, which was starting to get a bit strained at times. But there is always something new happening, so it doesn't get repetitive.

Never read the book but watched this movie in the '80-s in a cinema. This was one of the movies in those days everyone went to see. Great characters and a wonderful storyline. This is one of the pictures only Americans can make (like Big Fish): a sort of modern fairytale with lots of unusual people but goodhearted and rich in sub plots. Watched it again on TV ages ago and never saw it again. Which is a true shame. Dear folks at Warner Bros: please re-release this gem on BD and DVD! Give it the credits it deserves. Take your time for some restoration, put some extra's on it (interviews with director and cast, a look back, etcetera) but give this movie back to the fans. We're waiting for it too long. Thanks!