Top 10 Movies of 1983: Mr. Mom

Here we go again! In honour of my upcoming 40th birthday, I’ve decided to watch the top ten movies that came out the year I was born. If you read my last review, you know that it didn’t start off on the greatest note. National Lampoon’s Vacation was NOT a hit for me. Moving on to #9, Mr. Mom, I’ll admit I didn’t have particularly high hopes, but I was sure it couldn’t be nearly as bad as #10. (Spoiler alert, I was right)

So, #9 Mr. Mom
Released: July 22, 1983
Gross: $63,090,965
Have I seen this movie before? Nope

Okay, so quick synopsis for those of you, like me, who maybe haven’t seen Mr. Mom. Jack (Keaton) and Caroline (Garr) live in Detroit, where he’s an automotive engineer in Detroit, and she’s a stay-at-home mom for their three kids. When Jack gets furloughed from his job and can’t find another, Caroline, who went to school for and previously worked in advertising, returns to the workforce.

After Vacation, this was a huge step up. Keaton is very charming, and Jack actually likes his wife, Caroline. I appreciate that he didn’t seem overly sulky that he had become a stay-at-home dad, more frustrated that he couldn’t get another job, and didn’t resent his wife for being able to. It was more of a general frustration that he seemed oblivious about basic chores like laundry and feeding his kids. Hijinks come from when he gets addicted to soap operas and forms a poker night with the other stay-at-home moms. However, after some stumbles, he hits his stride as a stay-at-home dad. And let’s be honest, we all take a little bit of time figuring out new jobs, time management and the like.

My main bones of contention are:

1) Caroline called to have three contractors come at the SAME time and didn’t tell Jack they were coming. There was a plumber, an exterminator, and an electrician all arriving to do things on his ‘first day on the job’, who does that?!
2) we don’t get more of Caroline’s side of things. We get glimpses of her at work and know that she’s climbing the ranks, but that’s about it.
3) A weirdly abrupt ending

Sure, Mr. Mom is full of gendered stereotypes that were dated even in 1983, but it’s quite sweet in the end, and both Keaton and Garr are very winning. It’s a very ‘medium’ type of movie. Watchable, especially in comparison to #10, but nothing really to write home about.