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SEIZE THE DAY (1986) (MADE FOR TV) **** Robin Williams, Jerry Stiller, Glenne Headly, Tony Roberts, Joseph Wiseman, William Hickey. Williams delivers the best performance of his career in this little-seen but genuinely excellent film as Tommy Wilhelm, a loser on a continuous downward spiral, who desperately grasps at straws and for his father's unwelcomed love. Heartbreaking yet powerful Saul Bellow short-storyesque feel with one of the most realistic nervous breakdown ever captured on film. A must see for quality acting and directing.

I remember this movie because I took a junior college course entitled literature and film. One of the books was Saul Bellow's novel, Seize the Day. I don't remember much about the story but I remember the film. It's set in New York City about a poor man played to perfection by the one and only Robin Williams. It's not a laughing matter with him in the starring role as the Jewish salesman. The final scene leaves more questions than answers. I remember the film was faithful to the author's version. After all, Saul Bellow is a Nobel Prize winner for literature. Robin's performance is no laughing matter because his character can never catch a break in New York City. You just realize that he is one of thousands who are more or less suffering from society's neglect. In the end, society can be hell after all.

I would consider myself a legitimate Robin Williams fanboy, I adored the man and considered him one of the all time greats whether straight role or comedy. He holds the record of the largest number of movies I rate THAT highly but he has done some stinkers as well.

I was late to the party with Seize The Day, I'd never even heard of it but seeing it's cast and reading its premise I was excited.

Williams once again puts in a strong performance and that simply cannot be disputed but the film plods along at an odd pace and never seems to actually go anywhere. They say every story needs a beginning a middle and an end but Seize The Day feels like a 93 minute middle and nothing else.

The film reminds me a The Pursuit Of Happiness (2016) in that you are witnessing a man going through a bad period of his life and you the viewer rally behind him hoping for him to turn things around. Difference is PoH feels complete, like a whole package while STD (Very unfortunate acronym) simply doesn't offer that and instead depressed me to my very core.

I have to say that Robin Williams has come a long way regarding his acting. This is an early work and one that probably had folks confused since he was best known as the manic comic. But this Saul Bellow story of dispair and humor would have been considerably more depressing (good or bad) with, perhaps, Dustin Hoffman in the lead. Being 1986 and for TV, this was quite a groundbreaker. Don't get me wrong, I liked it -- I just couldn't help but wonder what a re-make would be today with our current abilities (and obsessions) at making rage and dispair truly palpable. There was a bit too much self-awareness on the part of the director/writer at making sure there was comic relief where none was needed......

This is an obscure little film that is probably Williams' best dramatic role--at least on par with the troubled psychiatrist in "Good Will Hunting". He plays a man victimized by his life--everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Williams is painful to watch in this role, but proves that his dramatic talent knows no bounds. Absolutely compelling; a film I am not likely to forget. Why this sleeper is so underrated and obscure I will never know. If you can get your hands on it, do so!