The Cautionary Tale of the Bowler Hat Guy

Meet the Robinsons is full of underrated characters with compelling themes/stories. Nowhere is this more clear than with the film’s tragic villain, the Bowler Hat Guy.

[MrNick-ogqm]

I needed to hear this more than I'd like to admit... I'm 31 and I spent 11 years as a drug addict. I'm sober for 3 years now but I get hung up thinking "where would I be if I didnt to X " or "I cant believe I did X I'm so stupid" but I dont see how far I've come. I bought a house last week at 5 years ago I lost custody of my kids, went AWOL from the Army, and was living in a storm drain.... It's a miracle I'm still alive, and I forget that because I let myself wallow in the past. Thanks for reminding me not to.

[wheresprototype]

In the original ending it was bowler hat guy who woke himself up after Luis took him back, so in that ending he is happy knowing he won't grow up into himself, even if he won't exist himself to see it. He was happy, so sad

[charlesbennett]

The Bowler Hat Guy is one of my favorite villains.

[RobiticDuck]

Underrated movie and villain! Had that 1950s version of retro futurism

[maevereynolds]

I just rewatched this movie for the first time in maybe 10 years & i absolutely adore it. I thought the story was so fun & the theme/message is so beautiful. The *only* thing i thought fell short & that i felt disappointed by (& always made me so sad as a kid) was Bowler Hat Guy's ending, that they had him run away in self shame. I feel like it would have been so much more meaningful if he had instead decided to face up to his wrongdoings, make amends where he could, eventually lettinf himself be accepted into the family, even if he would eventually fade out of existence anyway bc of the change in his past (winning the game). I think that would have been a really nice way to add to the "keep moving forward" theme/message by also conveying that it's never too late to *_start_* moving forward & that there are people out there willing to help you on your new chosen path if you let them in.

[RelentlessSketchStudios]

Why I really like the Bowler Hat Guy from this movie is because of how he is the embodiment of what happens when you let jealousy take over: permanently stuck and feeling nothing but hatred and resentment towards hearing and seeing other people's success and that success not being yours - an endless loop of comparison. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've felt that way countless times (especially in college), and yes, I have been in that same situation Goob was: stuck in the past and unable to move past it and instead, I have become like Lewis: understand that your future is not set in stone and that the successes you wish to achieve aren't just handed to you on a silver platter, but come with hard work and dedication.

What I've also learned to appreciate from this movie is to not feel jealousy or hatred of other people's success as their success, especially in something that is your niche, doesn't take away your entitlement and chances of success there too. If anything, it serves as motivation that says that if they can do it, then so can you. And the only thing that's really stopping you, is you. Who cares if you messed up one little thing? Who cares if so-so won an award for something? Be happy for them as you imagine that they will be happy for you when you achieve your success. What they've achieved isn't something on your individual path. Just keep moving forward and that future that you've wanted and dreamed about will be yours.

[IsaiahEFisher]

Did you know that Jorden Fry who voices Lewis in this movie also played Mike Teavee in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” two years earlier? It’s amazing how he went from playing a smart-aleck character to an actual boy genius.

[HispanicToddendale]

I was always hoping you’d talk about this movie, and here we are!

[jackcarraway]

There's a reason the main tagline is Keep Moving Forward.

Lewis applied that even when his inventions failed and became a world renowned engineer.

Goob didn't apply that and became a bitter loser.

[Mr.ThemeSongs]

Bowler Hat Guy is one of my all-time favorite Disney villains, alongside Oogie Boogie and Turbo, largely due to all you described in this video, he also kinda gives me Sir Pentious-vibes...minus the whole "being a demonic snake" thing.

[sollunadonis]

I was very young when Meet The Robinson’s came out so I didn’t notice how deep The Bowler Hat Guy was, but now I do after seeing your video

[albertrobinson]

This is one of the best ones yet. So thought provoking. Please make more videos where you have these pseudo-philosophical aspects to them. No joke, this is the most inspired I’ve felt since I’ve finished one of your videos. This deserves the fast attention it’s getting. Well done!

[DTownNash]

Let's not forget that they severely beat up Goob for losing. He was picked on and ostracized for his failure that's what got him.

[osmall]

Thank you for this. I really needed to hear it. Things aren't really going good for me right now, haven't been for a while. But I just need to get moving.

[ZachtheRobot]

Meet the Robertsons in terms of my favorite Disney animated movies this would be in my top 10 it’s alongside Treasure Planet and Bolt as Disney’s Underrated Gems

[soulubilityofficial]

I feel like this film is more needed now than when it first premiered. It’s aged like fine wine.

[histhoryk]

"Your destiny lies in your hands."
"That's good"
"You don't understand. Your destiny lies in your hands."
"Oh... fuck..."

[swiftboltclips]

Crash twinsanity at the end, glad someone appreciates the music

[daelen.cclark]

“There’s no forward to move to.”
That’s what makes me better value the phrase, and what helps me accept the motto.

[RetroPhantomFrog]

I don't know why but I really needed that pep talk at the end maybe because money issues, no father figure, or depression but it was nice and sweet