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‘Mr. Mom’ With Bill Simmons and Amanda Dobbins

October 11, 2019 · Mr. Mom (1983) · Comedy · Drama · 59:36 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Amanda Dobbins▶ 11:38Agrees Keaton lost conclusively to Hanks; notes the movie lacks typical guilt/shame themes about working mothers; observes it would be viewed differently in 2019
Bill Simmons▶ 10:19Michael Keaton turned down Splash to do Mr. Mom; 10-year Hanks vs Keaton rivalry like Bird vs Magic; producer quote about Mr. Mom entering vernacular and representing stay-at-home fathers; Roger Ebert gave it 2/4 stars calling it a 'lost opportunity'
Bill Simmons▶ 49:26Producer Lauren Shuler Donner read John Hughes' National Lampoon article and the script came from Hughes' disastrous experience watching his two kids while his wife was away; Hughes had a TV deal with Aaron Spelling, who produced (claimed he made it because 'I couldn't find a film suitable to take my kids to'); Universal dumped Hughes for working from Chicago instead of LA, and his original script was reportedly better than the rewrite

Most Rewatchable Scene

Amanda Dobbins▶ 23:10The utilities scene - Keaton versus the washing machine and vacuum, plus the ironing grilled cheese scene
Bill Simmons▶ 16:35Multiple scenes: firing scene with Michael Keaton, Jeffrey Tambor and Christopher Lloyd; chainsaw scene when Martin Mull visits; house attacking the family scene; elaborate race scene; Halloween confrontation scene

What's Aged the Best

Amanda Dobbins▶ 31:031980s parenting style - no helicopter parenting, kids treated independently, accepting that staying home with kids is hard work
Bill Simmons▶ 30:02Abrupt endings from 80s movies - they would just end without dragging on, unlike modern comedies that tack on unnecessary scenes

What's Aged the Worst

Amanda Dobbins▶ 35:31The idea that a dad would know how to do nothing around the house - men now know basic tasks like laundry and how to plug in a vacuum
Bill Simmons▶ 34:01The early 80s punk babysitter with purple hair, Eric Hipple poster (mediocre Lions quarterback), the abrupt ending style, incompetent dad trope, and the B2 sexual harassment scene

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 39:54Likes where they ended up with the actual casting choices over the alternatives (Chevy Chase, Michael Douglas, Steve Martin, John Travolta for male lead; Karen Allen, Jane Curtin, Farrah Fawcett, Sally Field for Carolyn role)

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 40:25Miriam Flynn — Miriam Flynn (Eddie's wife in Vacation)

Dion Waiters Award

Amanda Dobbins▶ 41:01The elder kid who does one-liners about how the dad doesn't know anything
Bill Simmons▶ 40:57The kid with the blanket

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 50:23Teri Garr — Terry Garr (despite not being good in this movie, but with Tootsie, Mr. Mom, and Letterman appearances) and the concept of 'Mr. Mom' because they created it

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Amanda Dobbins▶ 54:44The entire ending logic is incoherent - the cause and effect doesn't make sense with sales being down after Keaton left, but Jeffrey Tambor claiming he tried to cover for him
Bill Simmons▶ 54:28How Keaton gets his job back at the end with the other two guys when Jeffrey Tambor somehow doesn't get fired despite fudging numbers

Who Won the Movie

Amanda Dobbins▶ 55:53Michael Keaton — Agrees that Michael Keaton won the movie, praising his likability and charm
Bill Simmons▶ 55:50Michael Keaton — Michael Keaton won the movie

Movies Referenced (34)

Baby Boom (1987)

9 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 2:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Night Shift (1982)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 8:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Modern Times (1936)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 0:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Philadelphia (1993)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky (1976)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 28:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A League of Their Own (1992)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 50:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chariots of Fire (1981)

1 mentions · Amanda Dobbins▶ 28:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Den of Thieves (2018)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 59:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Forrest Gump (1994)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Freaky Friday (2003)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 2:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gung Ho (1986)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 50:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (3)

John Hughes

8 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 5:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ron Howard

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for A Beautiful Mind▶ 9:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 11:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (35)

Michael Keaton

25 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Spotlight, The Founder▶ 0:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeffrey Tambor

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Hellboy▶ 16:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Hanks

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump▶ 8:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aaron Spelling

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Charlie's Angels, Mr. Mom▶ 5:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Diane Keaton

4 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons · Known for Annie Hall, Reds, Something's Gotta Give▶ 3:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Mull

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Clue, Jingle All the Way, Mr. Mom▶ 17:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Meryl Streep

4 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons · Known for Mamma Mia!, Out of Africa▶ 47:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michelle Pfeiffer

4 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons · Known for The Fabulous Baker Boys, What Lies Beneath▶ 44:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Drew Barrymore

3 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons · Known for Charlie's Angels, 50 First Dates, Never Been Kissed▶ 8:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eric Hipple

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 34:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Henry Winkler

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Night Shift▶ 9:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce Willis

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Die Hard, Pulp Fiction▶ 11:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

Nancy Meyers

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for It's Complicated, Something's Gotta Give, Private Benjamin▶ 58:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harvey Weinstein

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Shakespeare in Love, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Hateful Eight▶ 36:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 15:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Michael Grantland

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Taking of Pelham 123, The Other Guys▶ 19:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗