Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

The first must-see film of the year.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This movie is a mess. The plot veers around from lame comedy to drama to adulterousness back to cartoonish slapstick. I expected something along the lines of 3 Men and Baby with lots of "men can't handle being a parent" gags. This one is focused almost entirely on the parents (Keaton and Garr), with the kids being peripheral to the story.The blatant product placements became annoying (Lite Beer anyone?) About half way through, one of my family members said what turned out to be what we were all thinking, "This is really bad!"

Mr. Mom is directed by Stan Dragoti and written by John Hughes. It stars Michael Keaton, Teri Garr and Martin Mull. Music is by Lee Holdridge and cinematography by Victor J. Kemper. Plot sees Keaton as Jack Butler, who after being laid off from work, is forced to become as house husband when his wife Caroline (Garr) lands a good job with Schooner Tuna. Something he's really not cut out to do. Ah, well, look, it's obviously very eighties, and thankfully society has moved on in leaps and bounds since this film was released. But good honest comedy is just that, honest, and for those looking for a good chuckle whilst admiring the talent of a pre-Batman Keaton, Mr. Mom is a bad mood lifter. Condensed into the 90 running time are enough gags and fun sequences to fill out a 12 episode sit-com, with a pre-teen-angst trail blazing John Hughes scripting it full of quotable lines. Lines which Keaton delivers with the comic timing not befitting someone just starting out in films.The fun is mined from Jack being hopeless at basic household chores whilst badly tending the three young children at the same time. Enter scenes involving shopping, dropping the kids off at school, laundry, cooking and ironing. As his masculinity starts to wane, Jack starts too slob out and gets his kicks by watching day-time soap operas and playing cards with the neighbourhood women. This coincides with his wife Caroline (Garr adorable) advancing well at work, but paying a price for it by being away from the family home far too much. There's also the looming presence of Caroline's smarmy boss (Martin Mull delightfully sleazy) and the good time girl (Ann Jillian sexing it up) who has her eye on Jack for fun and frolics. Both of these are stereotypes, but they existed then as much as they exist now, with that, it's easy to cut Mr. Mom some slack. Supporting slots fall to Christopher Lloyd (who would re-team with Keaton for the very funny The Dream Team in 1989), Jeffrey Tambor (City Slickers), Graham Jarvis (TV Starsky & Hutch/Cagney & Lacey) and Miriam Flynn (National Lampoon's Vacation). The child actors put in pleasing turns, where they score funny points both visually and orally, and director Dragoti (The Man With One Red Shoe) directs in an unfussy natural way. Ultimately it's Keaton and Hughes' script that lifts it to better comedy heights, the latter of which also plays on some basic fears that arise in the real world. Yeah, it's not just about Jack's bumbling around the home, that John Hughes was a sharp man you know? 7/10

This is one of those movies that I could watch over and over. From start to finish it was a great family/comedy movie that made me laugh a lot. The actors were perfect for their roles and there was so many funny lines and actions. So many good and funny scenes with dad learning to play the mom role. And he played it so humorously well. I thought it was great how the mom, dad reacted with their children and one another, very caring and realistic. The movie made one realize that you do whatever you need to do to keep your family going through rough times and also makes you realize how much you mean to one another. So realistic and yet funny. Definitely a feel-good movie.

I enjoy this movie in a way that a person only can when they have grown up with a film. This was one of the movies my family watched together the most often growing up in the 80's, and it perfectly encapsulates what it was like to be a middle class family in the mid-east at that time. At least for me.When I watch this movie, I remember what it felt like to be home during the day with my mom and sisters, watching daytime t.v. and cleaning house. But it's not just nostalgia that makes this my favorite. It actually holds up to repeated viewings, with almost every single moment being enjoyable. This is one I can watch over and over, endlessly. The quotes are instantly familiar to my family and I, like a secret language. I only have to say "This is SERIOUS poker!" and everyone knows what I'm talking about. It has that level of familiarity, right up there with Wizard of Oz. I can't think of anything I don't like about it, so I'm going to give it a 10. A great family film.