Man of the Year is a 2006 American comedy-drama thriller written and directed by Barry Levinson, produced by James G. Robinson and starring Robin Williams.

The film also features Christopher Walken, Laura Linney, Lewis Black and Jeff Goldblum. Williams portrays Tom Dobbs, the host of a humorous political talk show. After an offhand remark, four million people are prompted to e-mail their support, so he decides to campaign for President.

On Rotten Tomatoes the website’s consensus is: “Weakened by second-half attempts at thriller and romance, this presidential comedy also fails to hit any sharp political notes, resulting in a confused and unsatisfying mess.”

I would generally agree. Robin Williams is up to his usual comedy standards, but the third act takes an easy turn. It could have been much better.

Watching in 2026, it’s interesting to see the parallels with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The comedian that did become a leader and rose to the challenge.