Mac and Me (1988)

User Rating:

2.9/10   

Director:

Stewart Raffill

Writers (WGA):

Stewart Raffill (written by) and
Steve Feke (written by)

Release Date:

12 August 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

How two boys worlds apart become the best of friends.

Plot:

A Mysterious Alien Creature (MAC ?) trying to escape from NASA is befriended by a young boy in a wheel chair. |

Plot Keywords:

Boy | Alien | Unintentionally Funny | Single Mother | Dancing

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Christine Ebersole	...	Janet Cruise
Jonathan Ward	...	Michael Cruise
Tina Caspary	...	Courtney (as Katrina Caspary)
Lauren Stanley	...	Debbie
Jade Calegory	...	Eric Cruise
Vinnie Torrente	...	Mitford
Martin West	...	Wickett
Ivan J. Rado	...	Zimmerman
Danny Cooksey	...	Jack Jr
Laura Waterbury	...	Linda
Jack Eiseman	...	Splatter Car Driver
Barbara Allyne-Bennet	...	Scientist
Richard Bravo	...	Mover #1
Gary Brockette	...	Doctor #2
Sherri Stone Butler	...	Checkout Girl

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Philippines:G | Iceland:L | USA:PG (certificate #29165) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

City of Industry, California, USA

Company:

Mac and Me Joint Venture

Trivia:

The scenes of Mac running from the backyard into the hills were filmed in Hacienda Heights, California.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Obvious stunt double when Michael pulls Eric (wheelchair and all) into the moving van. In the cut, he is much larger, older and stronger.

Quotes:

Singer: tired of feeling all by myself Being so different From everyone else Somehow you knew I needed your help Be my friend forever I never found My star in the night Feeling my dream was Far from my sight You came along and I saw the light We'll be friends...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Overnight Delivery (1998)

Soundtrack:

You Knew What You Were Doing (Every Inch Of The Way)

Odd

While most of the comments made by other viewers deriding this movie are

accurate, does it really matter? It is just a very poorly made film. There is no more product placement than seen in many other films, but it is so poorly

integrated I can understand why people see it as obnoxious. The rest of the film is disjointed and many scenes are superfluous, but there are plenty of movies aimed at the family market that are just as objectionable. I enjoyed watching it on cable last night for the first time (if only to laugh at it), but I can see why kids may have enjoyed it. I remember when it was theatrically released during my

childhood. Yet even at that time it looked ridiculous, lacking the camp appeal it has now.

To respond to some of the site users who mentioned Alan Silvestri's score as

being well done. He is not a bad composer, but he blatantly rips off a lot of his own work (or recycles it), such as his most impressive score (Back to the

Future). Not to mention, he rips off bits from Jerry Goldsmith's score to Gremlins (Gizmo's accompanying whistling noises now provided by Mac). This proves

how little originality existed anywhere in this film.

I will agree with everyone that the aliens are awful looking: they are creepy, funny, and altogether unpleasant to see onscreen (even in clothing at the end of the film). As for the dance number, though it was ridiculous, the dancers were better than the majority of the actors in the film.

Small note: It seemed a little odd that the doctor pulled out a half-used bottle of sedatives from his pocket and gave one to the lead character after the ravine incident.