Bob Roberts (1992)

100% of critics liked it
(36 reviews)
71% of users liked it
(6,720 ratings)

In the tradition of This Is Spinal Tap, producer/ director/ star Tim Robbins' Bob Roberts is a satire disguised as a documentary. Robbins plays the titular Roberts, a wealthy, well-connected young man running for a senatorial seat in Pennsylvania. On the surface, Roberts is an ingratiating… More In the tradition of This Is Spinal Tap, producer/ director/ star Tim Robbins' Bob Roberts is a satire disguised as a documentary. Robbins plays the titular Roberts, a wealthy, well-connected young man running for a senatorial seat in Pennsylvania. On the surface, Roberts is an ingratiating glad-hander, a sincere believer in the restoration of such intangibles as national pride, family values, etc. But the longer Roberts is followed about by documentary filmmaker Brian Murray, the more we become aware that the candidate is a textbook case of cynicism and contempt. Only Giancarlo Esposito, a reporter for an underground newspaper, is willing to dig beneath Roberts' veneer--a habit that leads to the film's ironic conclusion. Several well-known actors make cameo appearances as TV commentators, notably Tim Robbins' longtime partner Susan Sarandon. Bob Roberts started out as a Tim Robbins-directed short subject for the TV series Saturday Night Live, then was expanded into a $4 million feature. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Tim Robbins
Written By: Tim Robbins
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 1, 1992 Wide
On DVD: Oct 17, 2000
Studio: Paramount

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
A sometimes brilliant if overloaded pseudodocumentary satire.
Todd McCarthy, Variety
A sort of political This Is Spinal Tap, Bob Roberts is both a stimulating social satire and, for thinking people, a depressing commentary on the devolution of the American political system.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
A very funny, sometimes prescient satire of American politics, and of the comparatively small, voting portion of the electorate that makes a Bob Roberts phenomenon possible.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Tim Robbins inaugurates the fall season with a slashingly funny political satire that ranks with the year's best films.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Robbins, who scripted and directed, creates more than enough on his own. Bob's un-hackneyed character is the prime case in point.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Watching it might be an education for some voters, who will recognize in the movie political techniques they see being practiced all the time in real life.
Heather Boerner, Common Sense Media
A political horror story for teens and adults.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Robbins's satire is savvy and complex enough to send mixed signals to the viewers about politics and pop culture; both Democrats and Republicans may find supporting evidence for their arguments in his picture.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Bob Roberts is not merely a satirical fictional biopic, but a wry exploration of the relationship between political reality and manufactured image.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
Characteristically and welcomingly Tim Robbins
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Excelente análise sobre o sistema político americano e a forma com que a manipulação da mídia pode criar novos heróis. Atuação brilhante do diretor/roteirista Robbins, que também compôs as músicas de seu personagem.
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope
Admittedly, this is an uneven film, but it has a lot more pluses than minuses.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
This Tim Robbins-helmed political satire about demogougery makes for an appropriate election-season re-release.

Read all 13 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

I hate these boring political dramas that try to be slightly satirical, as if that's going to entertain people. Politics is so boring, and this movie doesn't do anything (except maybe adding Rickman as eye candy) to make the audience interested in it. It's not one of… More
I hate these boring political dramas that try to be slightly satirical, as if that's going to entertain people. Politics is so boring, and this movie doesn't do anything (except maybe adding Rickman as eye candy) to make the audience interested in it. It's not one of the worst movies out there, but I really didn't care for it.
Jeffrey M

Bob Roberts is a hilarious political satire mockumentary, relating the events of a fictional senatorial campaign. Despite coming out in 1992, many of the issues it brings up are surprisingly timely (occurring in the midst of the Gulf War), it has a lot of interesting (if not… More
Bob Roberts is a hilarious political satire mockumentary, relating the events of a fictional senatorial campaign. Despite coming out in 1992, many of the issues it brings up are surprisingly timely (occurring in the midst of the Gulf War), it has a lot of interesting (if not unfamiliar) things to say on our political system. The film's politics are driven by liberal-cliches, but it's done in a smart way that mocks the overall system rather than one party, and does so with some poignant thoughts from the great Gore Vidal (who also stars in the film). By far the best things about the film is the unbelievable cast filled with cameos from the top actors of the 90s (James Spader, John Cusack, etc), but also a number of laugh out loud lines such as: "Don't smoke crack. It's a ghetto drug." "I could use a strong finisher myself sometimes "
Christopher B

Great songs and a funny and disturbing story. Robbins best attempt at directing, some may complain that it is too politically motivated, but I don't think Robbins was trying to conceal that fact. Some people just complain and complain and complain and complain and complain.

Cast

            Tim Robbins as Bob Roberts

            Giancarlo Esposito as Bugs Raplin

            Alan Rickman as Lukas Hart III

            Ray Wise as Chet MacGregor

            Brian Doyle-Murray as Terry Manchester

            Gore Vidal as Senator Brickley Paiste

            Rebecca Jenkins as Delores Perrigrew

            Harry J. Lennix as Franklin Dockett

            John Ottavino as Clark Anderson

            Robert Stanton as Bart Macklerooney

            John Cusack as Cutting Edge Host (special appearance)

            Peter Gallagher as News Anchor Dan Riley

            Pamela Reed as News Anchor Carol Cruise

            Susan Sarandon as News Anchor Tawna Titan

            James Spader as News Anchor Chuck Marin

            David Strathairn as Bug's Attorney Mack Laflin

            Fred Ward as News Anchor Chip Daley

            Bob Balaban as Producer Michael Janes "Cutting Edge Live"

            Helen Hunt as Reporter Rose Pondell

            Fisher Stevens as Reporter Rock Bork

            Rhonda Aldrich
            
            Charles R. Altman as Debate Moderator

            Lee Arenberg as Religious Zealot

            Lamont Arnold as Reporter

            Tom Atkins as Dr. Caleb Menck

            Ned Bellamy as Uzi Kornhauser "Cutting Edge Live"

            Don Brockett as Chairman

            Kathleen Chalfant as Constance Roberts

            Anthony di Leo Jr. as Reporter

            Anita Gillette as Mrs. Davis

            Angela Hall as Choir Soloist

            Brent Hinkley as Bif the Patriot

            Shannon Holt as Rita the Obsessive Fan

            Ruth Lesko as School Teacher

            Pat Logan as Policeman

            Matt McGrath as Burt

            Larry John Meyers as Police Spokesman

            Allan F. Nicholls as Director "Cutting Edge Live"

            Bingo O'Malley as Robert Roberts Sr.

            Jeremy Piven as Candle Seller

            Paul Quinn as Vigilante

            June Stein as Carol "Cutting Edge Live"

            Natalie Strong as Kala Kornhauser "Cutting Edge Live"

            Lynne Thigpen as Kelly Noble

            Robert Hegyes as Reporter Ernesto Galleano

            Don Hewitt Sr. as Stunts #1

            Adele Robbins as Vigilante

            Adam Simon as Head Writer "Cutting Edge Live"

            Steve Pink as Penn State Protester

            Dean Robinson as Vigilante

            Ann Talman as Reporter

            Jack Black as Roger

            Matthew Faber as Calvin

            Merrilee Dale as Polly Roberts

            Jerry Hewitt as Stunts #2

            Susan Shaw as Dancer

            Tom Tully as Reporter

            Linda King as DC Reporter
See full cast

Bob Roberts (1992)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

Jeffrey M

Christopher B

Cast

Photos

Trailers & Clips