Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Joe Johnston

Writers (WGA):

Stuart Gordon (story) &
Brian Yuzna (story) ...

Release Date:

23 June 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The most astonishing, innovative, backyard adventure of all time!

Plot:

Wayne Szalinski is your average "nutty scientist", working on a top secret machine which miniaturizes objects...

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Shrinking | Inventor | Laser | Bee

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 10 nominations

Cast

Rick Moranis	...	Wayne Szalinski
Matt Frewer	...	Russell 'Russ' Thompson, Sr. (Big Russ Thompson)
Marcia Strassman	...	Diane Szalinski
Kristine Sutherland	...	Mae Thompson
Thomas Wilson Brown	...	Russell 'Russ' Thompson, Jr. (Little Russell Thompson) (as Thomas Brown)
Jared Rushton	...	Ronald 'Ron' Thompson
Amy O'Neill	...	Amy Szalinski
Robert Oliveri	...	Nick Szalinski
Carl Steven	...	Tommy Pervis
Mark L. Taylor	...	Donald 'Don' Forrester
Kimmy Robertson	...	Gloria Forrester
Lou Cutell	...	Dr. Brainard
Laura Waterbury	...	Female Cop
Trevor Galtress	...	Male Cop
Martin Aylett	...	Harold Boorstein

Also Known As:

Grounded (USA) (working title)
Teenie Weenies (USA) (working title)
The Big Backyard (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Portugal:M/6 | Finland:K-10/7 (1989) | Finland:S (1990) | Peru:PT | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | France:U

Filming Locations:

Estudios Churubusco Azteca, Mexico City, México D.F., Mexico

Company:

Buena Vista Pictures

Trivia:

Joe Johnston's directorial debut.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In both Nick and his father's glasses, reflections of set lighting and cameras can be seen throughout the film.

Quotes:

Nick Szalinski: I'm on a special diet. No toxic waste.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the 80's 3-D" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Fire

welcome to the jungle

The subject of the man who's shrinking isn't new because Jack Arnold had broached it (with brio) in "the incredible shrinking man" thirty-two years ago. Here, in this new variation of the man who's shrinking it's not one man but four teenagers who shrunk. Moreover, the philosophical and pessimistic sides have disappeared. Instead, Joe Johnston made a familial comedy and a vibrating movie, often funny with some quite successful special effects. He also succedded in changing a familiar place (the garden) that you think you know like the back of your hand into an unfriendly jungle where the insects are as huge as elephants and the humans become unwittingly monsters: Wayne Szalinski, in spite of him, will put to the test several times the teenagers and he'll nearly eat his son for his breakfast. This doesn't stop the movie from being quite conventional. It's not surprising as the screenplay was written by Tom Schulman, the one who wrote the screenplay of this overrated and conventional movie that is "Dead Poet Society" (the two movies were launched at the same time). Here, for example, Ross' father attempts to lay down to his elder son, his likings and passions but then, he'll find out that it's not the right way to gain his son's affection. The movie doesn't also avoid certain clichés: Rick Moranis epitomizes the model crazy learned: he's wearing glasses, he invented a machine supposed to be revolutionary and his odd habits make the neighbours (the Thompsons) mistrustful and distant. But they'll show gratitude to him because he'll know how to come back their children to their human height. Nevertheless, Johnston and Schulman reach their goal: entertain the spectator without any ulterior motives. So "honey I shrunk the kids" remains a pleasant comedy that was designed to please to a large public