Getting Even with Dad (1994)

A thief's son cons his father into spending more time with him.

Director:

Howard Deutch

Writers:

Tom S. Parker, Jim Jennewein

Stars:

Macaulay Culkin, Ted Danson, Glenne Headly

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Macaulay Culkin	...	Timmy
Ted Danson	...	Ray
Glenne Headly	...	Theresa
Saul Rubinek	...	Bobby
Gailard Sartain	...	Carl
Sam McMurray	...	Alex
Hector Elizondo	...	Lt. Romayko
Sydney Walker	...	Mr. Wankmueller
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Kitty
Dann Florek	...	Wayne
Ron Canada	...	Zinn
Ralph Peduto	...	Chapman
Bert Kinyon	...	Guard
Melvin Thompson	...	Guard
Danny James Hunter	...	Armored Car Driver (as Danny Hunter)

Storyline

Ray, an ex-con and widower, is planning a coin heist with two accomplices to help him to buy his own bakery. However, he doesn't expect his son Timmy, who was living with Ray's sister, to show up at the house right in the middle of planning. Timmy is ignored and Ray and his buddies pull off the heist. Timmy gets his father's attention by stealing the coins and hiding them. To get them back, his father must take him to a number of different places and treat him like he enjoys his presence. They grow fond of each other but Timmy won't stay with his dad unless he gives up the coins.

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Plot Keywords:

convict | ex convict | coin | bakery | blond boy | 

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Taglines:

...He's not getting mad, he's Getting Even With Dad.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild language

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film marks the second time that a cast member from the situation comedy Cheers (1982) played Macaulay Culkin's father. The first was George Wendt in the music video "Michael Jackson: Black or White (1991)."

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Goofs

The amount of ice cream in the dish in the Baskin-Robbins scene.

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Quotes

Boy: Daddy! He's watching me pee!

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Getting Even with Dad/Fear of a Black Hat/Wolf/White (1994)

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Soundtracks

Do You Love Me?
Written by Berry Gordy
Performed by The Contours
Courtesy of
Motown Record Company L.P.

User Reviews

A Comedy Without Any Laughs

Getting Even with Dad (1994)

** (out of 4)

Ray (Ted Danson) is a life long criminal who has never had too much time for his son Timmy (Macaulay Culkin). After Ray gets a major score his son decides to hide it and says he will only tell where it's at if daddy will spend more time with him.

GETTING EVEN WITH DAD is a comedy where the screenwriter forgot to add any laughs. This is a pretty disappointing film and it's easy to see why Culkins' star was beginning to fall thanks to films like this one. It's really too bad that the film forgot the laughs because Danson and Culkin could have made for a much better comedy.

What you've basically got here is a rather mean-spirited film that deals with a rather ugly subject but does it in such a way that you can't help but roll your eyes more than laugh. The deadbeat father is going to be taught a lesson and of course we know how it's going to end. Throughout the running time the kid gets to have fun doing the things he always wanted to do and of course daddy begins to realize that being a dad can be fun.

Then, of course, you have the drama that enters when someone isn't happy about daddy going straight. Again, both Danson and Culkin are fine comic actors but they're pretty much given nothing to do here. Both Saul Rubinek and Hector Elizondo are wasted in their roles and the lack of laughs means GETTING EVEN WITH DAD isn't worth watching.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 June 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Getting Even with Dad

Filming Locations:

Candlestick Park - 602 Jamestown Avenue, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,579,480, 19 June 1994

Gross USA:

$18,869,594

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$18,869,594

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1