Customer Reviews

What Planet Are You From?

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Mike Nichols; Gary Shandling; Annette Bening; Ben Kingsley; John Goodman; Greg Kinnear...

Some may look at this list of utterly-undeniably talented people and expect great achievement, while others may anticipate a too-many-cooks effect. Whatever *you* expect from What Planet Are You From? I can tell you one thing; Let this be the only review you read!!

I have read countless reviews of this film, such as Roger Ebert's One-Star one-note write up (in which he sounds as if he wishes he wrote the film), The SF Examiner's feeble complaint and Time Magazine's bile explosion in paragraph form, and they all nitpicked the film to death while ignoring the beauty of it all. Some focused on the 'buzzing penis' gag which leads me to believe they only screened previews and slept through the actual film. Yet others complained that Gary Shandling isn't sexy and shouldn't have starred in the title role. Uhhh... OK, lets cast Fabio, for his looks and great comedic timing.

I've seen plenty of movies, many of them comedies, and this one ranks with some of the best. I feel the casting was inspired across the board and features one of Greg Kinnear's best performances as a slimy womanizing cretin. Shandling is stellar as always, seeming to have an endless supply of one-liners and expressions for any situation. Annette Bening is possibly the best actress of her generation, and this performance clinches it.

I'll bring it into focus for you: it's a comedy of manners featuring a procreation-obsessed alien and a sex/relationship-disfunctional planet. The script is a Shandlingesque miracle and the performances are perfect. The film mixes universal truths about the human condition and truly funny situations which could have been clichés but were saved by the sly screenplay.

I don't know what the negative reviewers were expecting, but I got exactly what I thought I would: gifted actors and a fantastic director making what should have been a huge hit. Unfortunately, it seems that the prejudices and laziness of reviewers have sent this great movie to the bargain bin. See it today.

You would think given the subject matter that this would movie might come across like some 'Porky's'/'Airplane' movie but instead it's almost like a family comedy with a nicely understated performance by 'Garry Shandling' who I'd never seen in any other movies. A great cast helps with what could have been a awkward looking movie, but with 'John Goodman', 'Ben Kingsley' & 'Annette Benning' all giving perfect-pitch back-up roles you can relax in the knowledge of grade A cast. There are a few slow parts to the movie however. I did find the parts with Greg Kinnear a little long-winded (hence the 4 not 5 score) but overall it zips along at a good pace & it also has a lot of heart, getting almost too saccharine at the end but as in all comedies you know that what goes around comes around and that our hero will eventually get the girl. 'Ben Kingsley' is very funny as the bad guy & 'John Goodman' is on top form as the obsessed inspector. 'Annette Benning' is reliably angelic as the put-upon girlfriend who is strangely understanding of Gary's character's vibrating unmentionable's. I have never watched the 'Gary Shandling' show but was happily surprised by his performance here. The fact that he's obviously not a professional actor actually helps in his performance here & adds a certain authenticity and charm to his alien character. He just doesn't know how to act in this human world & his character actually comes over as quite appealing. This movie is one of those modern movies that has a high re-watch ability factor & reminds me a lot of 'Galaxy-Quest' another over-looked film which is constantly aired & has become like 'Splash' & 'Edward Scissor hands' were in the 80's & 90's on TV. Reliable, good-natured escapist comedy-candy which doesn't leave a sour taste in the mouth.

Shandling plays the regular straight man in this film. The whole purpose for the visit to earth is world domination, at least that is what is CLEARLY stated in the film, at least twice this is stated. I don't know why the Amazon critic misses this point. Also, the penis HUMS, not buzzes. Also another point stated numerous times.
As has been said in other reviews, the humour is dry, and subtle. It's not a laugh out loud film, but it is enjoyable, and as many times as I have seen the film, all the performances are first rate, and Ben Kingsley's final moment is so classic.
Not exactly art, but its an enjoyable film, and streets ahead of a slightly related film EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY.
watch and enjoy.

When "What Planet Are You From" came out in theaters in 2000, nearly every film critic in America bashed and trashed it. Although not a masterpiece on any standard, it is still a great comedy and has some great performances from some of today's stars. Gary Shandling is a comedic genius, somewhat akin to Peter Sellers, and his timing in this film delivers some of the greatest moments in comedic film history. The expressions he has when dealing with his buzzing member are classic, as well as his lines he uses in order to cover them up.
Also starring Annette Bening, in a different comedic turn but also has a classic performance, as well as John Goodman, Ben Kingsley, and Greg Kinnear, this film gives an interesting look at how love and sex are interpreted in different relationships. This is a theme familiar to the director, Mike Nichols, who tackles this same subject with his classic "The Graduate" and his newest film "Closer".
While "What Planet Are You From" may be seen as camp and corny by some, the underlying message in the film is universal. Once you can get past the idea of Shandling as an alien coming to earth to impregnate a human in hopes of taking over the world, and all the hilarity that ensues when he installs a penis that buzzes and vibrates when he gets sexually excited, I think everybody can see how moving and relevant the film actually is.
I highly recommend this film and hope you all give it a chance. A great film with some great stars.

Gary Shandling is one of the funniest men alive! I watch this with much trepidation as the trailers made it out to be a cheese fest, boy was I right! I loved this movie for every minute I watched it. If you enjoy side spltting comedy and you've loved Shandling's previous work, you will certainly have a good time with this one.

The humor may be too low-key and subtle for some people, but this movie is brilliant -- an unsung masterpiece. Garry Shandling is wonderful as Harold Anderson, the nebbish from an advanced alien race .... The cast is incredible but special mention must be given to John Goodman as the agent searching for aliens, Greg Kinnear as the smarmy coworker, and Linda Fiorentino as his glib, cynical wife.

....

I've seen it ten times. I'll see it again, too. Wish some other people had; it's so unfortunate that people are rushing out to watch tripe like "The Wedding Planner" and ignoring tasty stuff like this.

This is a cute little sex farce starring and written by Garry Shandling. Harold Anderson (Shandling) is actually an alien on a very special mission. He must impregnate an earth woman to begin the infiltration of earth for eventual domination and takeover. He has done his research and learned to be a good listener, dutifully repeating "uh huh" at every utterance by a female. Unfortunately, there are certain subtleties he hasn't mastered in the fine art of seduction, and he gets his face slapped repeatedly.

After countless humorous failures he meets his future mate Susan (Annette Benning), and discovers that the only way she will have sex with him is if he marries her. After the nuptials he learns that all the rules of engagement have changed.

This droll script ranges from mildly silly to hysterical as it holds a circus mirror up to our mating rituals. Shandling is always funny with his deadpan whiney style, but the real treat here is Annette Benning. She makes this film work as Shandling's overwrought love interest. As she did in "American Beauty", she plays another caricature role to perfection. Here she is the aging female who has been a continual loser at the dating game and is desperately searching for love. Her brilliant performance is a treat that upstages Shandling at every turn. In addition, the rest of the cast is wonderful and fits well with Shandling's wry sense of humor.

This is a fun and very light comedy that works well most of the time. I rated it 7/10. Viewers who are offended by nudity, profanity and sexual situations should pass. Others will probably enjoy more than a few good laughs.

Intentionally derivative and utterly hilarious, 'What Planet Are You From?' follows Garry Shandling as an alien with buzzing genitals whose task is to impregnate a human female with an end to total domination of the planet earth. How this is ever to be brought about by producing a human offpsring remains unclear, though Annette Bening's six week gestation period would suggest our alien friends are capable of rapid action. The whole cast of this thing is in fine form, especially John Goodman as an intrepid FAA agent determined to bring an end to Air Arizona's misuse by Shandling & Co who routinely use their flights as a landing facility, as well as Ben Kingsley's Planetary Leader, at once camp, fifties-British and wholly ridiculous. This mightn't be everyone's cup of tea, but anyone who says the yanks can't do irony should watch it. It's very funny.

This movie although ripped by critics had a few laugh out loud moments, but otherwise kept a reletively upbeat mood making it an enjoyable film with an especially good performance by Annette Bening.

This is a charming, witty, poignant, clever and endlessly entertaining film. Director Mike Nichols ("The Graduate") has deftly handcrafted another wonderful film that can be watched again and again. Shandling's script is funny, modern and urbane yet at the same time sensitive and thoughtful.

The perfomances by each and every actor is terrific, and the comedic timing is right on the money. Greg Kinnear is better than ever and John Goodman turns in yet another great performance. Annette Benning is wonderful; and the ensemble cast of her on-screen girlfriends is terrific. Ben Kingsley is a delight in this droll role as Shandling's on-screen superior. Linda Fiorentino is perfectly cast as the femme fetale.

This was a sleeper at the box office (one heck of a great date movie!) but will keep you laughing and wide awake while you enjoy it at home on your VCR or DVD. It's a wonderful film. Buy it, rent it ... then get ready to roll on the floor laughing.