Junior (1994)

As part of a fertility research project, a male scientist agrees to carry a pregnancy in his own body.

Director:

Ivan Reitman

Writers:

Kevin Wade, Chris Conrad

Stars:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, Emma Thompson

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Dr. Alex Hesse
Danny DeVito	...	Dr. Larry Arbogast
Emma Thompson	...	Dr. Diana Reddin
Frank Langella	...	Noah Banes
Pamela Reed	...	Angela
Aida Turturro	...	Louise
James Eckhouse	...	Ned Sneller
Megan Cavanagh	...	Willow
Welker White	...	Jenny
Kathleen Chalfant	...	Casitas Madres Receptionist
Merle Kennedy	...	Samantha
Judy Collins	...	Naomi
Mindy Seeger	...	Alice
Christopher Meloni	...	Mr. Lanzarotta
Antoinette Peragine	...	Mrs. Lanzarotta

Storyline

Alex Hesse and Larry Arbogast are working on a new drug which will reduce the chances of a woman's body rejecting an embryo and thus causing a miscarriage. When their research funding is withdrawn, and human experimentation is denied to them, they decide to test the drug by breifly impregnating Hesse. Hesse however becomes attached to "his" unborn baby.

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Plot Keywords:

nightmare | scientist | baby | pregnancy | fertility | 

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Taglines:

Nothing is inconceivable

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sex-related humor

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 November 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jaunelis

Filming Locations:

Gold Ballroom, Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,803,145, 27 November 1994

Gross USA:

$36,763,355

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$108,431,355

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Northern Lights Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo DTS Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Out of all the films Ivan Reitman has made with Arnold Schwarzenegger, he has cited Junior (1994) as not his best, but his favourite.

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Goofs

When Alex and Larry argue about whether or not Alex should keep the baby, Larry is speaking but his lips aren't moving.

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Quotes

Dr. Alex Hesse: Can you feel how soft my skin is?

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Crazy Credits

The film's title logo appears when end credits are done

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Alternate Versions

On video/DVD, there are numerous swear words including Jesus, Shit and Bastard. When shown on TV these words are either replaced by other lines or cut completely.

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Connections

Referenced in HBO First Look: The Making of 'Collateral Damage' (2002)

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Soundtracks

Little Warm Death
Written and Performed by Cassandra Wilson

User Reviews

Funnier than you might think, worth the rental!

Arnold Schwarzenegger as a scientist who makes himself pregnant? The premise is pretty funny, even if the idea of Ah-nold in a comedy makes one suspicious. I thought "Twins" was awful, and "Conan" a comedy by accident. "Kindergarten Cop" was better because Schwarzenegger was mostly a straight man. Here he is called on to act the part of a pregnant man opposite Danny DeVito and Emma Thompson. While it is not an Oscar calibre performance, he gets the job done.

The story is reasonably simple. DeVito (a fertility specialist) and Schwarzenegger (a scientist) are partners working on a new miracle fertility drug. Their project gets canceled by the University and replaced by an ovarian study under the direction of Emma Thompson. They decide to implant an embryo in Schwarzenegger and continue the study illegally. They steal an egg from Thompson's ovarian study and the stage is set. Of course, the egg is Thompson's and she and Schwarzenegger are attracted to each other.

Ivan Reitman does a very good job with the story, keeping it simple and staying focused on the characters. Had he spent a lot of time focusing on the physical comedy, the film would have failed. Instead we get to watch the ultimate "macho" figure take on the ultimate "female" experience. The contrast keeps the comedy rolling, while the characters carry the film.

It is hardly a profound film, although it is intelligently written. The issues raised rely on simple male vs. female differences and the contrast of Schwarzenegger's image with this role is used to full effect. It's an enjoyable film with strong performances by Thompson and DeVito.