And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird

And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird
And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird
Directed by	Tony Cookson
Written by	Tony Cookson
Produced by	Just Betzer
Starring	Marcia Strassman; Joshua Miller; Edan Gross; John Quade; Sam Behrens; Alan Thicke;
Cinematography	Paul Elliott
Edited by	Michael Ornstein
Music by	Randy Miller
Production; company	Panorama Film International
Distributed by	Trimark Pictures
Release date	November 15, 1991;
Running time	92 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$5 million
Box office	$202,590

And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird is a 1991 American comedy film written and directed by Tony Cookson in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Marcia Strassman, Joshua Miller, Edan Gross, John Quade, Sam Behrens, and Alan Thicke. It follows two inventor brothers creating a working robot that is also inhabited by the spirit of their dead father.

The film was theatrically released in the United States on November 15, 1991, by Trimark Pictures. It received mixed reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office. For his performance, Miller was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor.

Plot

Two brothers Josh and Max attempt to invent a fully mobile robot with advanced artificial intelligence to help their mother, Sarah, with household chores. However, after a playfully performed séance on Halloween, the ghost of their late father, Matthew, possesses the robot. The boys are overjoyed at the return of their father, but it soon becomes apparent that the people who stole their father's work are after their robot, Newman. Eventually, Matthew returns to the afterlife after setting his boys on the right path as they sell the plans for their robot to a rich Texan investor.

Cast

Marcia Strassman as Sarah Carson
Joshua Miller as Josh Carson
Edan Gross as Max Carson
John Quade as Walter Kotzwinkle
Sam Behrens as Steve Franklin
Alan Thicke as Matthew Carson / Newman (voice)
Susan Gibney as Alice Woods
A. J. Langer as Beth Allen
Gustav Vintas as Jaeger
Eric Walker as Dwayne Kotswinkle
Bill Smillie as Henry Kilbrandt
Robert Clotworthy as Mike Abbot
Armin Shimerman as Contest Announcer
Allan Wasserman as Mel
Susan Brecht as Computer Teacher
Michael Strasser as Policeman
Ken Lerner as Matthew Carson (home movies)

Production

In June 1990, it was reported that producer Just Betzer planned to finance the film through his company, Panorama Film International. Principal photography began in mid-July 1990 in Los Angeles, California, under the working title Newman, and wrapped in late-May 1991.^[1]

Reception

Box office

The film was a box-office bomb, grossing only $202,590 in North America.^[2]

Critical response

Janet Maslin of The New York Times stated, "And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird has a low-budget look and a lot of strained wholesomeness, although it works best when its eccentricities are allowed to show."^[3] Michael Wilmington of the Los Angeles Times called it "a cute robot movie" and noted, "And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird is so soft and squishy, that any decently cute robot would probably sink through its center like a stone."^[4] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film two out of four stars, and wrote, "And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird seems inspired by several different sources. […] Is the movie worth seeing on its own? Only marginally; it's the kind of entertainment that seems like more fun on Nickelodeon than when you paid for your ticket."^[5]

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Recipient	Result
1992	18th Saturn Awards	Best Performance by a Younger Actor	Joshua John Miller	Nominated
1993	14th Youth in Film Awards	Best Young Actor Starring in a Motion Picture	Joshua John Miller	Nominated
		Best Young Actor Co-Starring in a Motion Picture	Edan Gross	Nominated
		Best Young Actress Co-Starring in a Motion Picture	A. J. Langer	Nominated