What About Bob? (1996)

The material is thin, but this modest comedy is worth the price of a video rental thanks to two funny guys who are always watchable. Bill Murray portrays multi-phobic loser Bob, who shows up on the country-home doorstep of his favorite shrink (Richard Dreyfuss), wrecking not only the good doctor's vacation but also his career, his domestic bliss — essentially, his life. Directed by Frank Oz (Little Shop of Horrors), What About Bob? starts out as a darkly witty twist on psychiatrist-patient relations, but gradually the wit subsides and the story settles into a shallow sitcom groove, on its way to what feels like a tacked-on happy ending. Once you see it coming, stop the tape before the final scene. You'll wind up with a meaner but more satisfying movie. B