What Planet Are You From? (2000) User Reviews

Funny Interplanetary Sex Farce

[FlickJunkie-2 · 7/10 · 5 September 2000]

This is a cute little sex farce starring and written by Garry Shandling. Harold Anderson (Shandling) is actually an alien on a very special mission. He must impregnate an earth woman to begin the infiltration of earth for eventual domination and takeover. He has done his research and learned to be a good listener, dutifully repeating `uh huh' at every utterance by a female. Unfortunately, there are certain subtleties he hasn't mastered in the fine art of seduction, and he gets his face slapped repeatedly.

After countless humorous failures, he meets Susan (Annette Benning), his future mate and discovers that the only way she will have sex with him is if he marries her. After the nuptials he learns that all the rules of engagement have changed.

This droll script ranges from mildly silly to hysterical as it holds a circus mirror up to our mating rituals. Shandling is always funny with his deadpan whiney style, but the real treat here is Annette Benning. She makes this film work as Shandling's overwrought love interest. As she did in `American Beauty', she plays another caricature role to perfection. Here she is the aging female who has been a continual loser at the dating game and is desperately searching for love. Her brilliant performance is a treat that upstages Shandling at every turn. In addition, the rest of the cast is wonderful and fits well with Shandling's wry sense of humor.

This is a fun and very light comedy that works well most of the time. I rated it 7/10. Viewers who are offended by nudity, profanity and sexual situations should pass. Others will probably enjoy more than a few good laughs.

Gary Shandling rules . . .

[Ysman · 7/10 · 14 March 2000]

I have long been a fan of Gary Shandling ever since his show on Fox. He has a perfect way a delivering the dead pan punch line. Gary is perfectly cast as the emotionless alien who comes to impregnate a woman in order to take over our world. What Planet Are You From has its flaws and arguments could be made for not liking this film. At times it is uneven and not sure what direction it wants to take. Sub plots are left unexplained or ended in a somewhat confusing fashion. All of these distractions are a side note to hilarious writing and stellar acting from a great cast including John Goodman, Greg Kinnear, Linda Fiorentino, and Annette Benning. The jokes are all dead on and Shandling's performance, especially as he develops into the more atypical male stereotype, is brilliant.

Another of My Guilty Pleasures...

[Isaac5855 · 7/10 · 1 December 2005]

I don't know why I'm afraid to admit it, but WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM? is definitely one of my guilty pleasures which I have viewed multiple times and still find highly entertaining. This cute and entertaining comedy stars Garry Shandling as an alien sent to earth to impregnate a woman and bring the baby back to his planet. He ends up targeting a real estate agent and recovering alcoholic (Annette Bening) as his target, but he doesn't plan on complications like love, marriage, friends, business competitors...those little things that we earthlings deal with on a daily basis but an alien from another planet would have no concept of. The opening scenes of the aliens being educated on the female erogenous zones are quite amusing as is Shandling's explanations of women to aliens when he returns to his planet after impregnating Bening and stealing the baby. Bening is charming in a rare comedic turn and even gets to sing. Greg Kinnear scores as a slimy co-worker of Shandling's and Linda Fiorentino makes the most of her brief appearance as his sexy wife. John Goodman is solid as a cynical UFO investigator who can't get anyone to believe there is an alien on earth and has to deal with his paranoid wife (Caroline Aaron) who is convinced the man is cheating on her. Ben Kingsley, in a refreshing change of pace, plays the stone-faced leader of Shandling's planet and Camryn Manheim, Nora Dunn, and Ann Cusack appear as Bening's girlfriends. Shandling co-wrote this comedy, smoothly directed by Mike Nichols, of all people. It's no masterpiece, but there are worse ways to kill 90 minutes and there are laughs to be had along the way.

So stupid its funny; effective if your sense of humor applies. *** (out of four)

[Movie-12 · 7/10 · 5 March 2001]

WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM? / (2000) *** (out of four)

By Blake French:

Mike Nichols' "What Planet Are You From?" is one of the most honest comedies I can remember-and it is a funny one, too. The script features distorted stereotypes dealing with human relationships. Men are only interested in sex with women, you say? Women want emotional support from men, so I hear? This film examines those concepts in such a unique and straightforward fashion even several technical flaws fail to interrupt the creative flow of colorful ideas.

Sex is the topic in "What Planet Are You From?" but what it truly gets at is the differences of female and male relationship perspectives. Gary Shandling stars as an alien called H1449, who lives with an all-male race on a distant, technologically advanced planet. The race reproduces by cloning only, and because the men never use their sex organs, they have shrunk and disappeared. The leader of the planet, Graydon (Ben Kingsley), plans to take over the entire universe, targeting Earth next. Taking over the planet from the inside is his strategy. After extensive training and dispensed with a penis, H1449 is sent to Earth to breed with a woman.

H1449 disguises himself as a home and commercial loan officer named Harold Anderson. His first and foremost mission is to impregnate the first available woman, the problem is that his targets are scared of the humming sound that comes from his penis, in correlation with his state of arousal. He does manage to bed a few easy women, including a flight attendant and a strip club dancer. After meeting his adulterous coworker, Perry (Greg Kinnear), and becoming a candidate for a big promotion, his mission becomes more and more unimportant.

Harold soon meets Susan Hart (Annette Bening), a recovering alcoholic/real estate agent putting her life back together. Her biological clock is ticking, so she finds herself marrying Harold after learning about his desires to have a child. Under great pressure from Graydon and an FAA agent (John Goodman), who is set on proving Harold is an alien, the confused H1449 must not only focus on his demanding mission, but also with his new Earthly duties and emotionally needy wife.

It's fun watching Harold realize the emotions of being human; when he experiences feelings like anger, jealousy, sadness, and sympathy, we feel oddly touched. There are a few funny moments from the hilariously frank sexual gestures. With nonstop sexual innuendoes and extremely blunt material, the dialogue is irresistible. The vibrating penis gag has potential, but it is not fully explored. "What Planet Are You From?" has a lot of laughs, but could have had a lot more fun with its plot elements.

I really liked the performance by Gary Shandling. His calm, confused state of mind makes for a light-hearted sense of humor. He often provides the film with hilarious moments, with simple, frank facial expressions. Annette Bening provides the story with a comical charm fitting for the role. The supporting cast is top notch even to minor roles. Such small but effective performances come from Nora Dunn ("Three Kings"), Janeane Garofalo ("Clay Pigeons," "The Matchmaker"), Judy Greer ("Jawbreaker") and Linda Fiorentino ("Men in Black," "Dogma").

Mike Nichols has made better movies, such "The Graduate," "The Birdcage," "Primary Colors" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" "What Planet Are You From?" is by far his silliest production, and I am actually a bit surprised to see him involved with this kind of movie. It is downright stupid at times-just plain dumb. But it is a funny stupid. The story evokes laughs from its utter foolishness. I enjoyed the film-not a lot-but it often connected with my unusual sense of humor. If you like this kind of offensive, perverse, and superficial buffoonery, and you know who you are, you might just find yourself having a ball with "What Planet Are You From?"

Hilarious

[casey_choas66 · 11 July 2002]

This movie didn't do very well at the box office and I don't know why it has to be one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Gary Shandling has never been better as an alien sent to Earth to have sex with a female and bring the child back to his home planet. But while on Earth Shandling runs into all sorts of problems. One of the more funny happenings in the film is that whenever stimulated his penis generates a humming noise. John Goodman is also hilarious as the man trying to find the alien. It is very entertaining to watch Sandling who comes to Earth as a horney alien turn into a slob of a man after he is married to Anette Benning, maybe this movie could be much more accurate than we give it credit. So although it is no Snatch or Made if you are looking for something less gross out than American Pie but still craving those masculine sex jokes this movie is sure not to dissapoint.

Laugh out loud funny....

[dtomlinson · 7/10 · 5 March 2000]

This movie is a little slower than a lot of comedies, but I still laughed out loud at several parts... The only warning I would give people about this movie is that if you don't like Garry Shandling, you won't like this film... I loved The Larry Sanders Show, and Shandling's sarcastic humor floors me every time... I do know that a lot of people don't find him funny at all, and this movie would be lost on them... I laughed my ass off though...

Annette Bening is great (as always), and Linda Fiorentino has a great part, albeit small... John Goodman is funny and Greg Kinnear is good as Shandling's co-worker...

Almost completely without value

[MrKearns-2 · 1/10 · 18 March 2000]

When I saw that Mike Nichols was making another picture, I was automatically interested. After making motion pictures like The Graduate and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, he had slipped severely, making only a couple decent films since. So, naively, I went to What Planet Are You From to find out if he could stem the tide of failures.

And, triumphantly, I left the motion picture with an answer: no, no, no.

If What Planet Are You From? succeeds at anything (and that's a big IF), it does succeed at having a surprisingly talented cast and crew, for what otherwise represents a made for USA motion picture. Starring Garry Shandling, Annette Bening, Greg Kinnear, and Ben Kingsley, I expected something decent, at least from the last three. But, they all disappointed me.

The story of What Planet Are You From is a one-gag premise: Garry Shandling plays an alien who has been sent to earth to impregnate a woman, thereby allowing his alien race to reproduce and slowly take over Earth. That ends up being the entire story. Never any twists, never anything clever that the beginning of the film indicated.

The film opens with thousands of the aliens being taught what human women are like, providing the only legitimate laugh of the entire film. Then, Shandling is sent to earth, bumbles around, meeting the sleazy Greg Kinnear, who takes him to AA meetings to meet women. He meets Annette Bening, who seems to be phoning in her performance as a recovering alcoholic/real estate agent. She insists on marrying before having sex, and so the alien marries her. All through this point, every time the alien had tried to reproduce, his mechanical genitals made a whirring noise. Apparently, this passed for humor, because Nichols depended on this noise for about 30 minutes of the film.

Then, they marry, they try to have children, are frustrated, and eventually she gives birth. Then, the baby is kidnaped by Kingsley (the leader of Shandling's planet), and the alien returns to steal it back, setting up a trite ending and giving the audience a merciful stay of execution.

The film is a massive disappointment from everyone involved, and I give it 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Cheap and primitive, but very funny!!!

[hakapes · 7/10 · 25 May 2005]

This comedy really rocks. It's way too cheap and awkward by any standards, and so primitive and full of stereotypes that in the end it comes out just right and funny. The intelligence level of this movie is between a Sunday afternoon film and a kids' series, somewhere near to 'The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human'. I couldn't decide during the whole movie, whether it was intended to be so funny, or they meant it serious - telling all the time 'we humans are special', 'we have feelings', 'what is love and it is so important' and such. Annette Being is really sweet in her role of Susan and Garry Shandling is marvelous as Harold, this is not an outstanding movie, but watching Harold is most fun of all. I only missed the evil Perry to get his punishment in the end. You have to be in the mood for this, but really recommended, 7/10!

Waste of time.

[JAM-52 · 2/10 · 4 March 2000]

I couldn't wait for this movie to end (the other two people I was with liked it better so I couldn't leave). In the words of Jay Sherman: "It stinks". It has a few funny moments. Most of the humor is cheap sexual humor - watch any TV sitcom and you'll get the same results. Save your money at the theatre and the video store - if you're looking for funny from this Shandling flick, try Albert Brooks or Woody Allen instead.

More Shandling than Mike Nichols

[Matthew Chong · 7/10 · 3 September 2002]

You have to be a fan of Garry Shandling's type of cynical-neutral emotion humour to like/appreciate this film. A little too uncomfortable for many adults who can recognise many of the aspects of the procreation process that is one of the main drives of human life, it uses the vehicle of a non-emotional alien master race that sends a procreation scout to impregnate a human while studying the notion of emotion.

Light, intelligent humour that is easy to follow without being an Adam Sandler torturefest... unfortunately meaning that it is rather dilute light comedy. Fine for dates or discussion over a post-viewing diner without fear of big arguments.

The SECOND worst movie EVER (possibly worse)

[maggiore · 1/10 · 6 March 2000]

This movie was just like a REALLY great comedy movie...only without the jokes! With the possible exception of Batman IV, this was the most difficult two hours of sitting in my life. In addition to being totally unfunny, the main premise of the movie (Shandling, an alien, must go to Earth and get a girl pregnant so that his race could rule Earth), makes NO sense and is never even explained. If I got a girl pregnant, would I then rule the Earth? I loved Shandling in "The Gary Shandling Show," I loved him in "The Larry Sanders Show," and I loved him both times I saw him doing his live standup, but FOR GOD'S SAKE, PLEASE DON'T LET HIM BACK ON THE BIG SCREEN! I predict this movie will be out on video before next week.

I hate rom-coms, but this is just brilliant!

[Movie-Misfit · 8/10 · 12 July 2014]

As an avid action, horror, comedy, and anything non-rom-com fan, I hate the typical Hollywood bull of same old same romantic comedies they are constantly spitting out expecting audiences to appreciate!

But on its release, I was lucky enough to fall upon this little gem of a film from the hilarious Gary Shandling - What Planet are You From?

From the get-go this film is hilarious, with Gary's dead-pan humour and ridiculous faces. Annette Benning is fantastic as is most of the other cast who fit their roles perfectly and look like they are having a blast doing so!

Carrying enough romance without being sickening, the film is almost perfect with constant laugh out loud moments and an over-all feel good achievement by the end of it.

Was great to see it again after so many years and found it even funnier this time around!

World Domination??? isn't it always....

[GeoPierpont · 6/10 · 7 December 2014]

When I found out Nichols directed at the end credits my jaw dropped, this easily surpasses Graduate and Virgina by far! This was fun, educational and surprisingly touching. The line by Linda cracked me up the most: why is he humming, oh he doesn't know the words...hilarious!

I cannot fathom how I have never heard of this film from almost 15 years ago. No cultural references, no quotes, nada. Beats me, but glad I found it because I was in dire need of levity with panache after dying from exposure from watching all the grueling death, destruction and Armageddon fare of late.

High recommend for Shandling (writes/acts in this) fans, wow is he Orange! Sure wish Linda could calm down enough for more film roles, she is absolutely stunning.

A one-trick pony that lasts 90 minutes?

[toclement · 1/10 · 7 August 2000]

I'm a big fan of Garry Shandling, both his old TV show and the more recent "Larry Sanders Show". Granted, the information on this movie was not promising, but with Shandling writing and acting, I thought it would have to be at least somewhat funny. Well, wrong-o! The laughs and clever moments in this movie could have been condensed into a 3-minute sketch.

Space Oddity.

[Brogan · 27 February 2000]

The new film from director Mike Nichols who did such classics as THE GRADUATE, and WORKING GIRL. Now his newest film is a sort of a different pace for him, it's still a comedy but it has science fiction mixed in with it. Nichols newest film is is WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM? This is a intresting sort of film since it mixes AMERICAN PIE with MEN IN BLACK. PLANET is about a alien from a planet far away, where there are only men. The leader, (Ben Kingsley)decides that it's time to start breeding and to begin taking over Earth. A alien is chosen, and it's Harold (Garry Shandling), who goes to Earth to help the future of his planet. Harold arrives in Phoenix to find his lucky future mate. He meets a slimy and cold co-worker (Greg Kinnear)who gives Harold tips on how to meet, "one night stand" women. When they go to a alcholic annonymous meeting, Harold meets a woman who he feels fits his profile (Annette Bening). But Harold then discovers what it's really like to live on Earth, and what Earth women are really like. Meanwhile, a Federal Avation Agent (John Goodman) is tracking down the mysterous "jolts" with the airplanes that Harold caused. I did enjoy this film for so many reasons. 1.) It was filmed in Phoenix, (where I live) and it was fun spotting the locations on where they shot the film. 2.) The acting by everyone is good. Garry Shandling does a great job playing the lead. At times he is really give a convincing performance by acting weird, like a alien would. Anette Bening (playing a real estate agent again) is also great, giving a good performance. And I also enjoyed John Goodman as the agent determine to pursade the unwelcome guest. 3.) The cinematography by Michael Ballius and production design by Bo Welch was great, since they also both worked on MEN IN BLACK. 4.) The jokes are very dry in this film, yet they do work and succeed. At times they can be cruel, but they are funny. and 5.) Believe it or not, the film does have a heart in it, which does make it meanningful. For a "screwball" style comedy with very good sets and special effects, PLANET succeeds. However, at time the story does get disjointed and some actors appear and disappear, when you would like to see more of them. But overall, it is entertaining and funny. I don't think teens would enjoy it, but the older adults will giggle as they see the poor reproductive

organ that Shandling's character has. This is a funny film, and I do suggest to catch it when one gets the chance. It's not a classic, but it is very enjoyable. **** (out of five)

Another viewpoint of human earth living

[ruby_fff · 7/10 · 29 May 2000]

You might say as an alien from another planet, Garry Shandling's deadpan demeanor fits the role perfectly. And it's believable that he would say all those lines and react as he does. This is his movie. Annette Bening, Greg Kinnear, John Goodman, Ben Kingsley (in a fun role being straight face through it all), and Linda Fiorentino round out the humor-loaded supporting cast. If you subscribe to the 'alien' depiction on how a marriage is maintained between a man and a woman, and how a family is developed or begotten, you'll truly have fun watching Shandling and Bening's pairing in this not so off-kiltered comedy about life on earth. (A bonus: You get to hear Annette Bening singing "High Hopes".)

The greatest Decrescendo for all Time.

[yellowdwarf · 6/10 · 19 July 2001]

This movie would have to be one of the biggest decrescendos of all time. From the start its incredibly funny, but as time goes by we find ourselves bored and its rather high rating drops significantly. The part of the alien is also a little inadequate, and although Gerry Shandling does a good job, everyone knows he could have done better. Fantastic opening scene - horrifically dull ending scene.

Don't bother.

[edevries · 2/10 · 10 June 2001]

I got the DVD out last night because of the cast and the director - so much promise - did not even read the jacket - this was going to be good! Not so - it has been some time since I have seen so much talent go to waste. The movie was not funny, it was slow, had nothing interesting to say and did not make sense. If you are a SciFi fan like me watch Galaxy Quest!

Funny and weird 7/10

[The_Wood · 7/10 · 26 January 2002]

I feel no shame in saying, I like What Planet Are you From? The film is charming, funny, and surprisingly sweet. With an excellent cast, especially John Goodman, What Planet Are you From? is a great and wonderful little comedy that deserves to be seen.

tough to like characters

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 11 February 2016]

A clone alien race led by Graydon (Ben Kingsley) sends down an agent (Garry Shandling) to earth for its eventual takeover. He is given a mechanical penis with a mission to find a female and procreate. He lands in a plane bathroom heading for Phoenix. He hits on the flight attendant Rebecca (Judy Greer) and airline investigator Roland Jones (John Goodman) is on his case. Perry Gordon (Greg Kinnear) mistakes him for new fellow banker Harold Anderson. Don Fisk (Richard Jenkins) is their boss. Perry takes Harold to an AA meeting to pick up girls. Harold reconnects with Rebecca and meets Susan Anderson (Annette Bening). He's also after Perry's wife Helen Gordon (Linda Fiorentino).

This is generally not funny. Garry Shandling is not that likable in this. He's an emotionless sleazy skirt-chaser. Most of the other characters are also unlikeable. I wouldn't call them annoying but they are mostly unfunny. I didn't laugh once.

A cute movie

[mattc-6 · 7/10 · 28 February 2000]

For the first time in a long time, Hollywood has given the movie going public a rather intelligent sex farce. It doesn't lean too much into the science fiction element, but it's plenty spaced out for some. Garry Shandling proves he can fill a 106 minute film, although he really is more comfortable in his usual 30 minutes on TV. Ben Kingsley has a lot of fun making fun of his friend Patrick Stewart, and Annette Bening is funny as the object of Shandling's desire.

What planet were they on?

[muad_dib_uk · 3/10 · 7 February 2001]

To think that I was actually looking forward to seeing this! This poor man's Galaxy Quest-meets-Starman has only one redeeming feature in John Goodman's airline investigator (this is hardly surprising as he's good in just about every movie he's in). Garry Shandling lacks any warmth or charm in the lead role....and that's after he's supposed to have learnt how to feel emotions. Annette Benning is slightly less neurotic, but no less annoying than her American Beauty character. And Ben Kingsley? He just looks embarrassed by the whole affair, no doubt wondering why he got involved in the first place!

Poor 3/10

Criminally Underrated

[Mr Mauve · 10/10 · 19 February 2001]

Mike Nichols; Gary Shandling; Annette Bening; Ben Kingsley; John Goodman; Greg Kinnear...

Some may look at this list of utterly-undeniably talented people and expect great achievement, while others may anticipate a too-many-cooks effect. Whatever *you* expect from What Planet Are You From? I can tell you one thing; Let this be the only review you read!!

I have read countless reviews of this film, such as Roger Ebert's One-Star one-note write up (in which he sounds as if he wishes he wrote the film), The SF Examiner's feeble complaint and Time Magazine's bile explosion in paragraph form, and they all nitpicked the film to death while ignoring the beauty of it all. Some focused on the 'buzzing penis' gag which leads me to believe they only screened previews and slept through the actual film. Yet others complained that Gary Shandling isn't sexy and shouldn't have starred in the title role. Uhhh... OK, lets cast Fabio, for his looks and great comedic timing.

I've seen plenty of movies, many of them comedies, and this one ranks with some of the best. I feel the casting was inspired across the board and features one of Greg Kinnear's best performances as a slimy womanizing cretin. Shandling is stellar as always, seeming to have an endless supply of one-liners and expressions for any situation. Annette Bening is possibly the best actress of her generation, and this performance clinches it.

I'll bring it into focus for you: it's a comedy of manners featuring a procreation-obsessed alien and a sex/relationship-disfunctional planet. The script is a Shandlingesque miracle and the performances are perfect. The film mixes universal truths about the human condition and truly funny situations which could have been clichés but were saved by the sly screenplay.

I don't know what the negative reviewers were expecting, but I got exactly what I thought I would: gifted actors and a fantastic director making what should have been a huge hit. Unfortunately, it seems that the prejudices and laziness of reviewers have sent this great movie to the bargain bin. See it today.

A nice romantic comedy.

[emmmitt · 7/10 · 27 February 2000]

A truly pleasant movie, the first one of the year. I came out of the movie laughing, always a good sign. I felt the movies pace was a little off at points in the movie, it was either going too fast or too slow. But the movie kept me interesting. It was a great movie that showed what dating seems like every now and then. and with a humming penis, you can not go wrong. It seems to be the first the first really great date movie of the year. I would recommend that people see this.

JUST PLAIN AWFUL!

[Empire-3 · 1/10 · 23 February 2002]

There's nothing good in this movie. It is just awful. It isn't funny at all. It's very very boring. Everything is wrong in this movie: acting, directing, the music etc. This is one of those movies that you can't wait to end. This is just complete waste of time. Seeing good actors in bad roles makes head hurt.