‘You ever talk that way to my kid again… I’m knockin’ you out!’
As a child of the ’80s, I’m always chasing that Spielberg-soaked wholesomeness that defined ’80s and ’90s cinema. The snow-covered driveways of Gremlins. The thrum of the rail track from Stand by Me. Anything that takes me back to that glorious era. It is rare in this day and age that I discover something new that reminds me of that era (Tom Hanks’ minor classic The Burbs was another recent example) but Mr. Mom sits nicely alongside the work of Spielberg and Joe Dante as a goofy family comedy with lots of heart…
When Jack (Michael Keaton) is laid off, he has to stay at home whilst his wife Caroline (Teri Garr) goes back to work. We talking Three Men and a Baby. We are talking Uncle Buck. We’ve all seen this movie before, but it is the familiarity that makes it so irresistible.
It’s no surprise that Mr. Mom is such a fantastic success. Not only does it boast Keaton, one of the most reliable actors of his generation, operating at the peak of his comedic powers, but it also comes from the pen of John Hughes – perhaps the single more influential writer-director that the ’80s had to offer (aside from Spielberg, of course). Despite the one-note premise, Keaton throws himself into the role and it is his combination of physical comedy, bewilderment and emotional warmth that ensures that Mr. Mom will leave anyone feeling warm and fuzzy when the credits roll.
Mr. Mom is not a complicated film. It is not groundbreaking. It is not a masterpiece. But it does evoke an era of cinema that many people (including myself) go nuts for. It was never going to win any Oscars, but I was charmed for the whole 90 minutes and for that reason, I would recommend Mr. Mom to anyone who grew up watching the same films that I did.