Synopsis:
The day he leaves on a month's vacation, best-selling author and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss) acquires a new patient, the multiphobic Bob Wiley (Bill Murray). Consumed by his fears of germs, enclosed spaces, and other people, Bob tracks Dr. Marvin to his New Hampshire retreat and arrives on his doorstep for treatment. Dr. Marvin's professional but strained advice to "take a vacation from your phobias" is translated by Bob to mean "take a vacation in New Hampshire," and he starts to become a fixture in their home, to Marvin's growing incredulity and rage--especially when his wife and children, charmed by Bob's childlike enthusiasm, start to think Bob is more fun than Marvin. There seems to be only one way to get rid of Bob, and that's to do it permanently. Murray and Dreyfuss balance each other perfectly, one growing more sane as the other stumbles toward madness. A quirky family comedy, Frank Oz's WHAT ABOUT BOB? encourages viewers to stop being so straight-laced and start having fun.

Notes:
Though they gave the role of Dr. Leo Marvin to Richard Dreyfuss, filmmakers originally discussed Woody Allen for the part. "Is this a bad time?"--neurotic patient Bob Wiley (Bill Murray) to psychiatrist Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss), after he crashes Marvin's New Hampshire retreat "It's as important for me to see you dive as it is for me to appear on GOOD MORNING AMERICA."--Dr. Marvin to his son, Siggy, who is afraid of diving into the lake near their summer retreat

Reviews:
"...Expert comic teamwork..." - 06/27/1991 Rolling Stone, p.78

"...[A reminder] that Murray really is the movies' drollest nutjob..." -- Rating: B - 12/06/1996 Entertainment Weekly, pp.73-5

"...[Dreyfus and Murray are] fortuitous teaming..." - 05/17/1991 New York Times, p.C15

"...Murray and Dreyfuss have the kind of temperamental oppositeness that great comedy teams thrive on. Just seeing them together is funny..." - 05/17/1991 Los Angeles Times, p.F1