By BRYAN WARD / The trailers for "Bicentennial Man" are somewhat misleading. The film is not a comedy, but it does have some funny moments. It is not "Mrs. Doubtfire" with a robot, although it is directed by the same director and stars the same actor. It is not a science-fiction movie either. What "Bicentennial Man" is ... is simply Robin Williams best acting performance to date, Chris Columbus' best directing effort yet and a wonderful, heartfelt journey toward a certain humanity. If you're into that sort of thing, then "Bicentennial Man" is for you.

"Bicentennial Man" stems from a short story by one of the greats of science fiction, Isaac Asimov, and a later novel written by Asimov, and (another great writer) Robert Silverberg, called "The Positronic Man." Although "Bicentennial Man" is not a direct lift from any one of these stories, the essential elements are there.

At its heart, "Man" is a simple story. Sometime in the near future, robots have become commonplace as household appliances. One is purchased by the Martin family as a companion and servant. It quickly becomes apparent that Andrew, as one daughter calls him, is not at all stable. Instead of doing what anyone in their right mind would do and have Andrew repaired, Mr. Martin, played to great effect by Sam Neil, is intrigued by Andrew's show of creativity and insight and encourages him. He even goes so far as to teach Andrew, to allow him to pursue his creativity, read books, etc.

Some of the film's funniest moments are easy to spot, Andrew learns about the facts of life, Andrew learns to tell jokes, Andrew stumbles over human feelings, and so on. It's a long process. Not just for Andrew, but for us as well. At nearly 2 1/2 hours, "Man" starts to drag a little in the later half.

Robin Williams is mostly invisible while being hidden behind the rather chunky Robo-suit, except for his voice. And once you finally become accustomed to that, it's surprising how much personality comes through the mask.

Ultimately, "Bicentennial Man" is a reflection of our own growth from childhood into the wonders, freedoms and responsibilities of adulthood. And as such, it succeeds.