''Mac and Me'' is a 1988 American
comic science fiction
Science fiction comedy (sci-fi comedy) or comic science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy that exploits the science-fiction (SF) genre's conventions for comedy, comedic effect. Comic science fiction often mocks or satirize ...
film cowritten (with Steve Feke) and directed by
Stewart Raffill
Stewart Raffill is a British writer and director.
Biography
Raffill was born in England and grew up near Stratford before immigrating to the US and working in the motion picture industry. His writing and directing work in film and TV spans ...
. Starring
Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole (born February 21, 1953) is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in film, television, and on stage. She starred in the Broadway musicals '' 42nd Street'' and ''Grey Gardens'', winning two Tony Awards. She has co-s ...
,
Jonathan Ward, and Tina Caspary alongside Lauren Stanley and Jade Calegory, it centers on a "Mysterious Alien Creature" (MAC) that escapes from nefarious
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
agents and befriends a boy named Eric Cruise. Together, they try to find MAC's family, whom he has been separated from.
The film
flopped at the box office and was panned by critics, partly due to plot lines similar to ''
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (1982), as well as its elaborate
product placement of
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
and
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...
. It was nominated for four
Golden Raspberry Awards
The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, ...
and won
Worst Director and
Worst New Star (for
Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. He inhabits the fictional world of McDonaldland, with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird and ...
). However, it received four
Youth in Film Awards (now Young Artist Awards) nominations. While regarded as one of the
worst films ever made, it has become a
cult film
A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...
. Due to its poor reception,
Orion Pictures cancelled the planned sequel.
Plot
A family of aliens on a dying desert planet search for subterranean water to drink through a straw. A
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
research probe lands and begins taking atmospheric samples via a suction device. The aliens are accidentally sucked into the apparatus and the probe returns to Earth. The aliens escape from a government base with their ability to manipulate electricity and destroy anything they touch. While three of them run off into the desert, the smallest one breaks away and hides in a passing minivan occupied by single mother Janet Cruise and her two sons (
wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, used when walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, problems related to old age, or disability. These can include spinal cord injuries ( paraplegia, hemiplegia, and quadriplegia), cerebr ...
bound younger son Eric and elder son Michael) who are moving to a new home near
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
following the loss of her husband. Shortly after the move, Eric suspects the alien's presence. The next morning, he finds that its has trashed most of the new house and learns its identity, but Janet blames both him and Michael for what has happened. After noticing the alien, Eric tries to catch up to him, but ends up rolling down a hill and falls into a lake, where he nearly drowns, but is rescued by the alien. He is not believed at all when he tries to tell his family about its actions.
Later that night, he sets a trap with the help of his new friend, Debbie, who had also seen the alien. They trap him inside a
vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner, also known simply as a vacuum or a hoover, is a device that causes suction in order to remove dirt from floors, upholstery, draperies, and other surfaces. It is generally electrically driven.
The dirt is collected by either a ...
, which malfunctions and causes the entire neighborhood to suffer a power surge. After the alien is released, Michael now believes Eric, but it leaves before Janet can be convinced. Eric's behavior toward it, which he names MAC (short for "Mysterious Alien Creature") changes after he fixes all of the damage he made to the house, and leaves behind several newspaper clippings that Eric believes are an attempt to communicate. Meanwhile,
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
agents Wickett and Zimmerman track MAC down and begin spying on the Cruise residence. Eric disguises MAC in a
teddy bear
A teddy bear is a stuffed toy in the form of a bear. Developed apparently simultaneously by toymakers Morris Michtom in the U.S. and Richard Steiff under his aunt Margarete Steiff's company in Germany in the early 20th century, the teddy bear, ...
suit and takes him to a birthday party at a local
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
, where Debbie's older sister, Courtney, works. Wickett and Zimmerman follow, but MAC starts a dance number as a distraction and escapes with Eric on his wheelchair. After Wickett and Zimmerman chase them through a nearby neighborhood and shopping mall with additional help, they are rescued by Michael and Courtney. Janet, having witnessed the chase while in the mall, catches up to Wickett and Zimmerman and inadvertently learns from Wickett that MAC is indeed real.
Eric, Michael, Debbie, and Courtney decide to help reunite MAC with his family, who are lost in the desert without sustenance. Following MAC's directions, they travel to the mountains on the outskirts of
Palmdale
Palmdale is a city in northern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. The city lies in the Antelope Valley region of Southern California. The San Gabriel Mountains separate Palmdale from the Los Angeles Basin to the south.
On Aug ...
, where they find his dying family and rejuvenate them with
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...
. The group stops at a gas station and goes to a nearby supermarket. The restless aliens climb out of the minivan and enter the supermarket, causing a panic. After MAC's father steals a gun from a security guard, the police arrive and a shootout takes place in the parking lot, which ends with an explosion that destroys the supermarket and Eric being killed by a stray bullet. Once Wickett, Zimmerman, and Janet arrive by
helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...
, MAC and his family use their powers to revive Eric. For saving his life, the United States government grants them American
citizenship
Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection".
Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...
, with the Cruise family and their neighbors, as well as Wickett and Zimmerman, in attendance at the ceremony. MAC's family, in Earthling clothing, drives off in a pink
Cadillac
The Cadillac Motor Car Division () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada, and China. Cadillac models are distributed i ...
, and MAC blows a
gum bubble that reads "We'll be back!"
Cast
In addition,
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...
and
Nikki Cox
Nicole Avery Cox (born June 2, 1978) is an American actress known mostly for her roles on the television series ''Unhappily Ever After'', ''Las Vegas'', ''The Norm Show'', and ''Nikki''.
Career
Cox began her career at the age of four, when s ...
appear as uncredited background extras.
Puppeteers
* Allen Coulter
* Steven James
* Frank Charles Lutkus III
* David Matherly
* David Arthur Nelson
* Loren Soman
* Christopher Swift
*
N. Brock Winkless IV
Production
Development
Producer R. J. Louis had previously worked on advertising campaigns with
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
and had an association with their charitable arm
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent American nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children.
RMHC has a global network of c ...
(RMHC). He explained that at the time
Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. He inhabits the fictional world of McDonaldland, with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird and ...
was "even more
ell-knownthan
Santa Claus
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...
", but that
E.T.
''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott, a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, dub ...
was close behind and thus felt that the next "generation" needed an ''E.T.'' of their own. Louis was required to negotiate the rights to use the McDonald's brand and its elements within the film. He pitched the project as a
cross-promotion Cross-promotion is a form of marketing promotion where customers of one product or service are targeted with promotion of a related product. A typical example is cross-media marketing of a brand; for example, Oprah Winfrey's promotion on her televi ...
al endeavor which could be promoted at its restaurants, and with its profits helping to support RMHC.
Some have reported that the film was—at least partially—financed by McDonald's,
which Louis denies.
However, he did receive funding from
Golden State Foods
Golden State Foods (GSF) is an Irvine, California-based wholly management-owned and -run business-to-business foodservice company that primarily serves McDonald's. Through a joint venture with Taylor Fresh Foods Inc., GSF is one of the biggest a ...
, a food service distributor closely associated with McDonald's; Louis had encountered its CEO in his efforts to pitch the film and was attracted by its charitable goals.
Despite McDonald's specifying that they did not want Ronald McDonald to appear in the film, he nonetheless appeared in a scene set at a McDonald's which featured an extended dance sequence.
The character also appeared in the
theatrical trailer
A trailer (also known as a preview, coming attraction or attraction video) is a commercial advertisement, originally for a feature film that is going to be exhibited in the future at a movie theater/cinema. It is a product of creative and tech ...
.
Louis noted that he was one of the first to leverage the chain as a platform for promoting films;
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
would later enter into a long-term deal with McDonald's to cross-promote properties including films through in-store campaigns such as
Happy Meal
A Happy Meal is a kids' meal usually sold at the American fast food restaurant chain McDonald's since June 1979. A small toy or book is included with the food, both of which are usually contained in a red cardboard box with a yellow smiley face ...
s, although this relationship ended in May 2006, amid pressure to reduce the promotion of
junk food
"Junk food" is a term used to describe food that is high in calories from sugar and/or fat, and possibly also sodium, but with little dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, or other important forms of nutritional value. It is also known as ...
to children.
Despite this, Louis remarked that he was "still the only person in the universe that ever had the exclusive motion picture rights to the McDonald's trademark, their actors, their characters and the whole company."
Stewart Raffill
Stewart Raffill
Stewart Raffill is a British writer and director.
Biography
Raffill was born in England and grew up near Stratford before immigrating to the US and working in the motion picture industry. His writing and directing work in film and TV spans ...
, who had made a number of family films, was brought on as director even before the film had a completed script. He says he was recommended to the producer by
James Brolin
James Brolin (, born Craig Kenneth Bruderlin; July 18, 1940) is an American actor. Brolin has won two Golden Globes and an Emmy. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 27, 1998. He is the father of actor Josh Brolin.
He ...
, with whom Raffill had made 1981's ''
High Risk''.
Raffill later recalled:
I was hired out of the blue. And the producer asked me to come down to the office. So I did and he had a whole crew there, a whole crew on the payroll. It was amazing. He had the transportation captain. The camera department head. The AD. The Production Manager. He had everybody already hired and I said, "Well, what's the script?" And he said, "We don't have a script. I don't like the script. You have to write the script. You're gonna have to write it quickly so prep the movie and write the script on the weekends."
The crew aimed to distinguish the film from ''E.T.'' by having Mac be a member of a family and having powers and skills.
Raffill says the producer wanted to use an actor who was handicapped. "So he found a kid who had
spina bifida
Spina bifida (Latin for 'split spine'; SB) is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy. There are three main types: spina bifida occulta, me ...
. The kid had never acted before, but he was a wonderful kid. But when they finished it was as if the fact that they used a real encumbered person to play the person didn't mean anything to even the people who lived in the world."
Raffill says "the moment Disney heard we had this deal with McDonald's, they went in and hammered out a three-year deal to get all their toys put in their Happy Meals and have that relationship with Coca-Cola. As such, the McDonald's people were then not particularly enthused with us as they now had Disney, but they had to fulfill their arrangement with us."
Filming
In one scene, Eric Cruise (played by Calegory, who has
spina bifida
Spina bifida (Latin for 'split spine'; SB) is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy. There are three main types: spina bifida occulta, me ...
and uses a wheelchair in real life)
is seen rolling down a hill in his wheelchair. Raffill noted that he performed a portion of the stunt himself, explaining that "it's very hard to do physical things when you're in that condition. It's very hard to make a wheelchair work because it's not a very balanced thing. When you start going fast in a wheelchair, you place tremendous risk on the child, so you have to try and figure out how to do that in a controlled fashion."
The shooting of Eric was explicitly shown in the
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese
VHS release of the film.
For the film's mainstream release in theaters and on home video, this scene was cut from the test screening phase of the film following negative reactions from test audiences; the altered version made it so that Eric would die offscreen.
Music
;Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack album was released by
Curb Records
Curb Records (also known as Asylum-Curb and formerly known as MCG Curb) is an American record label started by Mike Curb, originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963. From 1969 to 1973, Curb merged with MGM Records where Curb served as President of ...
, featuring one track from its
musical score, composed, and conducted by
Alan Silvestri
Alan Anthony Silvestri (born March 26, 1950) is an American composer and conductor of film and television scores. He has been associated with director Robert Zemeckis since 1984, composing music for all of his feature films including the ''Ba ...
, and the
theme song
Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at so ...
"Take Me (I'll Follow You)" by
Bobby Caldwell
Robert Hunter Caldwell (born August 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz and adult contemporary. He is known for his soulful and versatile vocals. Caldwell released the ...
.
Track listing:
# "You're Not a Stranger Anymore (Theme from ''Mac and Me'')" - Jara Lane (3:42)
# "Take Me (I'll Follow You)" -
Bobby Caldwell
Robert Hunter Caldwell (born August 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz and adult contemporary. He is known for his soulful and versatile vocals. Caldwell released the ...
(5:32)
# "You Knew What You Were Doing (Every Inch of the Way)" - Marcy Levy (3:30)
# "Down to Earth" -
Ashford & Simpson
Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946).
Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...
(5:27)
# "Waves" - Debbie Lytton (3:44)
# "Send Out a Signal" - Larry Hart (4:31)
# "Wait and Break My Heart Tomorrow" - The Flint River Band (4:40)
# "Overture (Theme from ''Mac and Me'')" - Alan Silvestri (4:24)
;Score
In 2014, Quartet Records released a limited edition disc (1000 copies) of Silvestri's complete score. The disc also includes "You're Not a Stranger Anymore (Theme from ''Mac and Me'')" and "Take Me (I'll Follow You)," which Silvestri co-wrote for the film.
Reception
Box office
The film premiered in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
on August 5, 1988, with a
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
release following on August 12.
A
box office bomb
A box-office bomb, or box-office disaster, is a film that is unprofitable or considered highly unsuccessful during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the production, marketing, and distribution costs combined exceed the revenue after ...
,
it grossed $6,424,112 in the U.S.
against a $13 million budget.
It had a profit-sharing arrangement with
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent American nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children.
RMHC has a global network of c ...
.
Critical response
Upon release, the film was panned, due to its imitations of numerous concepts from
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...
's ''
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (1982).
''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' critic Michael Wilmington wrote that it is "an amazingly bald-faced copy of ''E.T.'', even though this is ''E.T.'' in a sticky wrapper, left under the heater two hours too long. Almost everything in the earlier movie has a double here."
Richard Harrington of ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' amended the famed "E.T., phone home" phrase to "E.T., call lawyer" and said, "Why is it so hard to like this film? Having seen it done so much better by Spielberg doesn't help, of course."
The contrivance of the "Mysterious Alien Creature" being referred to by the acronym "
MAC", a dance number at a
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
featuring
Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. He inhabits the fictional world of McDonaldland, with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird and ...
, and the characters' wearing of McDonald's clothing, prompted ''
Deseret News
The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...
'' journalist Chris Hicks to declare: "I'm not sure I've ever seen a movie that is as crass a 90-minute commercial as ''Mac and Me''".
Hicks, along with
Caryn James
Caryn A. James (born Caryn A. Fuoroli) is an American film critic, journalist, university lecturer and writer.
Biography
James is one of at least three children born to James M. Fuoroli Sr. and Joan A. Ford. A native of Providence, Rhode Islan ...
of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', observed additional promotion of
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...
and
Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Co. ( ), commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began a ...
—the latter brand carried
McKids
McKids was a chain of clothing stores marketed to children and operated by the McDonald's Corporation through a partnership with Sears.
Overview
In July 1987, Sears began selling the McKids line of children's clothing. In December 1988, Sears ...
, the McDonald's line of children's clothing.
James also took exception to the "awfully irresponsible" treatment of wheelchair-using main character Eric Cruise, who is placed in potentially dangerous situations before MAC intervenes.
Calegory's lead performance was named a highlight of the film by several critics,
to which the filmmakers have garnered praise for their use of a disabled protagonist.
On review aggregator
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, with 28 reviews, the film has a 7% approval rating, and an average rating of 3.4/10. The site's consensus reads, "''Mac and Me'' is duly infamous: not only is it a pale imitation of ''E.T.'', it's also a thinly-veiled feature length commercial for McDonald's and Coca-Cola".
Accolades
Legacy
The film is widely regarded as one of the
worst films ever made,
with ''
The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
'' noting that it is "frequently pulled out in 'worst film of all time' arguments". Filmmaker
Morgan Spurlock
Morgan Valentine Spurlock (born November 7, 1970) is an American documentary filmmaker, humorist, television producer, screenwriter and playwright.
Spurlock's films include ''Super Size Me'' (2004), '' Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden?'' (20 ...
cited it as the most egregious example of
product placement in cinema history, as well as the "worst thing you'll ever see in your entire life".
It was also named the worst film ever in the ''
San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...
'', as well as by broadcaster
Simon Mayo
Simon Andrew Hicks Mayo (born 21 September 1958) is an English radio presenter and author who worked for BBC Radio from 1982 until 2022.
Mayo has presented across three BBC stations for extended periods. From 1986 to 2001 he worked for Radio ...
and writer/producer
Damon Lindelof
Damon Laurence Lindelof (born April 24, 1973) is an American screenwriter, comic book writer, and producer. Among his accolades, he received three Primetime Emmy Awards, from twelve nominations. In 2010, ''Time'' magazine named him one of the ...
.
Michael Hayden of ''
GQ India
''GQ'' is the Indian edition of the American monthly men's magazine called '' GQ''. It is the 15th international edition of ''GQ'' and is published by Condé Nast India Pvt. Ltd., a 100% owned subsidiary of Condé Nast International. Condé Nas ...
'' referred to it as "hands down the worst family movie in Hollywood history."
Nathan Rabin
Nathan Rabin (; born April 24, 1976) is an American film and music critic. Rabin was the first head writer for '' The A.V. Club'', a position he held until he left the ''Onion'' organization in 2013. reviewed the film as part of his "My Year of Flops" series for
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
, writing:
It has nevertheless become a
cult film
A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...
.
Lindelof allowed that it is "the fifth-best alien comedy ever made,"
and it has appeared in various "so-bad-it's-good" listings.
Jim Vorel of ''
Paste'' ranked it no. 52 in "The 100 Best 'B Movies' of All Time" (noting that it cannot be "enjoyed un-ironically"),
while
Cracked
Cracked may refer to: Television
* ''Cracked'' (British TV series), a 2008 British comedy-drama television series that aired on STV
* ''Cracked'' (Canadian TV series), a 2013 Canadian crime drama series that aired on CBC
* "Cracked", a Season 8 ( ...
journalist Jeff Steinbrunner placed it at no. 1 in "The 10 Most Shameless Product Placements in Movie History", calling it "unintentionally awesome" and "almost genius." ''
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' wrote: "As an accidentally riotous failure, ''Mac and Me'' comes highly recommended, but its real purpose requires a line of shot glasses...everyone must take a shot whenever Raffill's film displays one of its countless product placements."
The film is part of a
running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are not ...
by actor
Paul Rudd
Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor. He studied theater at the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, before making his acting debut in 1991. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame i ...
. When appearing as a guest on ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...
'', O'Brien's later show ''
Conan'', and O'Brien’s podcast ''
Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend
''Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend'' is a weekly podcast hosted by American comedian and former talk show host Conan O'Brien. It is co-hosted by O'Brien's assistant, Sona Movsesian, and producer, Matt Gourley. The podcast debuted in November 2018 ...
'', Rudd would perform a "bait-and-switch" by routinely showing the same clip from it (in which Eric Cruise, watched by MAC, loses control of his wheelchair and falls down a hill into a lake) instead of showing clips from the actual films he was ostensibly promoting. While giving an interview alongside ''
Captain America: Civil War'' costar
Chris Evans in 2016, Rudd expressed his appreciation of its "blatant" advertising of
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
, "unearned" positioning of
Bobby Caldwell
Robert Hunter Caldwell (born August 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz and adult contemporary. He is known for his soulful and versatile vocals. Caldwell released the ...
ballad "Take Me (I'll Follow You)", and inclusion of a fly landing on MAC's nose, declaring: "I love it...it's so good."
Evans also professed to "love" the film, noting that he "grew up on it."
The film is one of six movies featured in Season 12 of ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000
''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. ...
''.
The podcast ''
How Did This Get Made?
''How Did This Get Made?'' (''HDTGM'') is a podcast on the Earwolf network. It is hosted by Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael and Jason Mantzoukas with occasional substitutes and/or guest hosts. Each episode features the deconstruction and mockery ...
'' reviewed the movie in Episode 10, featuring guest host
Adam Pally
Adam Saul Pally (born March 18, 1982) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known for starring as Max Blum in the ABC comedy series '' Happy Endings'' and as Dr. Peter Prentice in '' The Mindy Project''. He also starr ...
.
Cancelled sequel
A sequel was announced at the time of the film's release.
It ends with the text "We'll be back!", but given its unpopularity, a sequel did not happen.
Producer R.J. Louis spoke of the ending in a 2017 interview and did not rule out a sequel. He claimed there is public interest because home video sales have made the film profitable for
Orion Pictures, and also said that MAC would resonate with modern, young moviegoers.
See also
*
List of films considered the worst
The films listed below have been cited by a variety of notable critics in varying media sources as being among the worst films ever made. Examples of such sources include Metacritic, Roger Ebert's list of most-hated films, ''The Golden Turkey ...
* ''
My Little Bossings
''My Little Bossings'' (also known as ''Torky and My Little Bossings'') is a 2013 Filipino family-comedy film directed by Marlon Rivera, starring Vic Sotto, Kris Aquino, Ryzza Mae Dizon, and Bimby Yap. The film is an official entry for the 2013 M ...
'', a 2013 Filipino family comedy film similarly criticized for product placement
* ''
Nukie
''Nukie'' is a 1987 South African science-fiction film directed by Sias Odendaal and Michael Pakleppa, and based on an original story by Odendaal. The film stars Anthony Morrison, Steve Railsback, Ronald France, and Glynis Johns. The plot conc ...
'', a South African knockoff of E.T.
References
External links
*
*
''Mac and Me''at the
TCM Movie Database
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of At ...
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mac And Me
1980s adventure films
1980s children's fantasy films
1980s children's films
1980s science fiction comedy films
1988 comedy films
1988 films
1988 independent films
Alien visitations in films
American adventure comedy films
American children's comedy films
American independent films
American science fiction comedy films
1980s English-language films
Fictional duos
Films about extraterrestrial life
Films about paraplegics or quadriplegics
Films directed by Stewart Raffill
Films scored by Alan Silvestri
Films set in California
Films shot in Los Angeles
Mockbuster films
Orion Pictures films
Sponsored films
Golden Raspberry Award winning films
1980s American films