Robin Williams’ Flubber Scientist Had a Major Ethics Problem

1997’s Flubber is remembered for its absurd premise and overall poor reception, yet some who grew up with the movie look back at it fondly. Robin Williams gives the performance his all as he portrays the crazed-scientist Professor Philip Brainard. However, amongst all the antics the professor gets up to, some of his actions raise major questions as to how ethical his practices really are.

With Medshield Collage bordering on closure due to a lack of funding, Professor Brainard experiments with creating a new power source to raise money. During his experiments, he accidentally creates a highly-elastic green goop with large amounts of kinetic energy, allowing it to bounce around with increased speed. Despite losing his fiancée due to his obsession with science, Brainard continues working on his newly-named Flubber and tests out its full capabilities.

Flubber first appears to be like an extremely bouncy ball, offering some harmless fun. But soon, things become out of control as the goop flies around his lab, destroying all in its path. Nevertheless, Brainard continues pushing the limits of his Flubber, unphased by the destruction it causes and with a total disregard for the safety of anyone around.

Due to the professor giving a low grade to the college sponsor’s son, two security guards are hired to intimidate Brainard into giving better grades. When the goons turn up, Brainard is testing out the Flubber by slathering it over objects. The first is a golf ball, which bounces and smashes all through the lab before eventually springing out of the window. With the two guards looking in, the golf ball slams into one of their heads at a tremendous speed and knocks them to the ground. Brainard then applies Flubber to a bowling ball, which again hurls through the air and slams into their heads through the window.

Not only could these objects cause fatal injuries, but they also go flying into the night sky. Still, the professor doesn’t bat an eye, even though anyone could end up a victim. And it’s not the last time he places people in danger as he begins testing more practical uses for the substance. At an upcoming college basketball game, Brainard attempts to give the players an advantage by applying Flubber to their shoes. While the plan worked and gave the team a boost, their lives were at great risk as he didn’t tell any of them about the Flubber. Therefore, they were leaping 30 feet in the air with no idea why.

Despite being played off as all fun and games, any researcher should be truthful to his participants, especially if the experiment is dangerous. As such, the complete disregard for the damage Flubber causes paints Brainard in a much darker light than once thought. Combined with the already peculiar plot, Flubber definitely stands as one of the most absurd of all of Robin Williams’ movies.