Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Dan Aykroyd | ... | Harry Sultenfuss | |
Jamie Lee Curtis | ... | Shelly DeVoto | |
Macaulay Culkin | ... | Thomas J. Sennett | |
Anna Chlumsky | ... | Vada Sultenfuss | |
Richard Masur | ... | Phil Sultenfuss | |
Griffin Dunne | ... | Mr. Bixler | |
Ann Nelson | ... | Gramoo Sultenfuss | |
Peter Michael Goetz | ... | Dr. Welty | |
Jane Hallaren | ... | Nurse Randall | |
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Anthony R. Jones | ... | Arthur |
Tom Villard | ... | Justin | |
Lara Steinick | ... | Ronda | |
Kristian Truelsen | ... | Charles | |
David Caprita | ... | Ray | |
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Jody Wilson | ... | Mrs. Hunsaker |
1972. Vada Sultenfuss (played by Anna Chlumsky) is an intelligent, bubbly, hypochondriacal 11-year old girl. Her father, Harry (Dan Aykroyd), is a mortician and a widower. Her best friend is Thomas J Sennett (Macaulay Culkin). Then her father hires a new receptionist, Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis), and life will never be the same again. Written by grantss
This is a kid's film. Or, if you are over eighteen and not not too critical about a realistic approach to tot acting, and want an easy-to-watch family tearjerker with some major stars going through their paces with professional expertise, this is your ticket to what Hollywood wants us to experience as a "Heartwarming Experience."
Having recently also watched "Ali Azoua--Price Of The City," "I'm Not Scared," and "Children of Heaven," I'm made acutely aware of the studio-taught limitations of Tinseltown tots, particular Culkin, who doesn't have much to do but react cutely and alter the direction of the plot; young Chlumsky has been trained perfectly and doesn't miss a beat, but the spontaneous reality of kids you find in Stand By Me, say, or Ali Zouoa, has been traded off for predictability. Jamie Lee Curtis has a warmth that enlivens much of the film, and strikes a notable balance that made most of the film work for me. It's a kid's film, and on that basis, it succeeds very well.