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Danny DeVito, Billy Crystal, Anne Ramsey, Kim Greist, Kate Mulgrew ... see more see more... , Annie Ross , Branford Marsalis , Rob Reiner , Bruce Kirby , Oprah Winfrey , Raye Birk , Peter Brocco , Andre Rosey Brown , Olivia Brown , Joey de Pinto , Larry McCormick , Philip Perlman , Randall Miller , Stu Silver , Hettie Lynne Hurtes

The "exchange murders" plot gambit, played with utter solemnity in Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, is used as the launching pad for raucous laughter in Throw Momma From the Train. Director/star Dann... read more read more...y DeVito plays Owen Lift, a middle-aged bachelor, totally dominated by his gorgon mother, played with hilarious ferocity by Anne Ramsey. Billy Crystal co-stars as Larry Donner, a creative-writing professor, saddled with a vituperative, thoroughly despicable ex-wife, Margaret (Kate Mulgrew). Signing up for Larry's writing course, Owen has trouble at first with character development and construction in his stories. Larry recommends that Owen watch a screening of Strangers on a Train, which he considered a model of tight, concise storytelling. Owen is so entranced by the film that he decides to emulate Strangers star Robert Walker. That is, Owen wants Larry to bump off his mother, in exchange for Owen's murder of Margaret. Without being asked, Owen does away with Margaret (or so it seems), then hounds Larry to the point of killing "Momma." This being a comedy, the actual consequences of the swap-murder plot aren't nearly as calamitous as in the Hitchcock film. Cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld would apply the "black humor" lessons learned in Throw Momma From the Train for his own directorial debut, The Addams Family (1991). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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50% liked it

39,459 ratings

Critics

60% liked it

25 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 28 min.

Directed by: Danny DeVito

Release Date: December 11, 1987

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DVD Release Date: May 8, 2001

Stats: 1,145 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,145)

  • FrizzDrop
    December 16, 2011
    FrizzDrop
    This isn't funny. I didn't want you to keep those hopes so high like mine were when I started watching this. Comedy films coming out around this time included Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, City Slickers, and Ghostbusters, films with dopey leads, hard hearted eccentrics, and lo... read morevelorn women. Many people like to lump this send off to Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, with the rest of these gems. Based on reviews from this site, my love of anything Danny DeVito or Billy Crystal, and an admiration of zany hard knocks, I truly wanted to see this flick. Not only that but it seemed like a reinterpretation of Hitchcock's thriller, and to have anyone telling me to go see a re-telling and that it's hilarious to boot, I am onboard. Why does this movie not work? It's crazed. It's supposedly black comedy, but I think you have to have people laugh in order to crush yourself into that genre. The fact that they're both writers adds nothing, Danny DeVitoâ(TM)s role is supposed to stupidly endearing but is just a rip-off of Lenny from Of Mice and Men, and Crystal himself doesn't exhibit his superior, odd, and loudly obnoxious persona that made him famous in When Harry Met Sally and City Slickers. No, here he is an incoherent mess with one frame of mind: to kill his ex-wife who has stolen his book and become a wild success. That would have been fine, had they not pounded it to death. I seriously don't know how this haphazard script came to be, though I know it all got made because Danny DeVito directed it. Here his direction doesn't help anything, and we're left with characters who are neither affable nor realistic, and a plot that ambles wherever it so pleases. The ending, or should I say last ten minutes, is the only section that even features the aforementioned train. The mother, Anne Ramsey who made her mark as Mrs. Fratelli in The Goonies, never speaks any audible dialogue other than a rasp here and there and always there is yelling. She's not scary or annoying here, just simply blah, neither slightly mean tempered nor spitefully evil. She is a nothing character, just like everybody else in this disjointed wretch. The villains don't get punished, no one learns any lessons, and somehow Crystal gets out of his writer's block. Is that because he let go of his hate? Because he was still pretty mean to DeVito at the end of the film. It's just so painful and dull. Watch for the actors and nostalgia and that is all.
  • moonrivers
    May 23, 2011
    moonrivers
    A little comedic fun riffing off of Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train" premise.
  • ajv2688
    January 29, 2011
    ajv2688
    I loved this dark comedy! The cast is brilliant, and although the story sort of borrows from Strangers on a Train, and it even admits to doing so, it's really hilarious, and I highly recommend seeing this movie, it's a lot of fun.
  • 76Majikat
    August 1, 2010
    76Majikat
    A much better film than I remember this to be, based loosely on Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, Danny Devito and Billy Crystall make for a great comedy pairing in this films, making an entertaining watch.
  • ironclad1609
    May 10, 2010
    ironclad1609
    Hilarious black humor comedy about a murder pact. DeVito and Crystal work great together and the story offers many Hitchcock quotes and a pretty exciting and funny storyline. The winner of the film has to be Anne Ramsey who created a truly unique and terrifying old hag with her c... read moreharacter. Much like Crystal's character you're constantly torn between wanting to kill her and remembering your own moral values. Great fun!
  • ScoopOnline
    January 14, 2010
    ScoopOnline
    Owen asked his friend, Larry, for a small favor... to Throw Momma from the Train!
  • FilmFanatik
    December 21, 2009
    FilmFanatik
    Pretty funny.
  • SirPant
    September 25, 2009
    SirPant
    Apart from a couple of great lines, it?s not a great comedy
  • FiLmCrAzY
    August 1, 2009
    FiLmCrAzY
    This movie is fairly amusing and entertaining but i also found it weird and just a littlebit crazy with danny devito playing a character that you swear is a psychopath but isnt!!
    It does keep you laughing the storyline and plot are much to b desired though although ok it could h... read moreave been better!
    Billy crystal plays a writer who is engrosed in his wife with a large amount of hate towards her because she stole his book and now he has writers block, soon oscar (dannydevito) starts harrassing and comes up with an idea o crisscrossing so he'll kill billy crystals wife if billy kills his momma, then this takes on a funride of weird funny scenes!
    worth a watch? yes but not neccsessarly go out of your way to watch it!
  • TheMachinist
    September 7, 2008
    TheMachinist
    This movie has a geniously simple plot and it totally works. The chemistry between DeVito and Crystal is good and Anne Ramsey... Goddamn, she steals the show totally! Gotta be one of the most loved characters you wanna hate but you simply can't!

    A dark comedy with some slapstick... read more elements. The dialogue is very funny and the timing is something that will leave you laughing out loud. Enjoyed it a lot!

View All Throw Momma from the Train Reviews

Critic Reviews

Rich Cline
April 29, 2005
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

darkly hilarious

Rob Thomas
November 18, 2004
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)

Funny film that sort of play-acts being a black comedy

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
August 27, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

This black comedy careens all over the place to squeeze laughs out of matricide, jealousy, and the ego trip of writers. Most of the time, the humor is strained

Kevin A. Ranson
September 19, 2003
Kevin A. Ranson, MovieCrypt.com

Sultry.

Ken Hanke
September 11, 2003
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

A rather sweet little comedy masquerading as a black comedy.

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

Click to read the article Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Owen Lift: I don't want them to take you away!
    • Momma: Yes, you do!
    • Owen Lift: Owen loves his momma!
    • Momma: 'Owen loves his momma!' [sing-song] Owen loves his momma! Owen loves his momma! Owen loves his...
    • Momma: You sit there typing all day like a fat little pigeon!
    • Owen Lift: You won't ever hear it again, Momma. I promise.
    • Momma: Stop it, dammit! I got a waxball in my ear. Get it out.
    • Owen Lift: Momma!
    • Momma: OWEN! OWEN! OWEN! OWEN! OWEN!!
    • Owen Lift: WHAT?
    • Momma: Get me a soda with some ice in it! Owen, hurry up!
    • Owen Lift: Momma...
    • Momma: Chop-chop, Owen! Come on!
    • Owen Lift: Alright!
    • Momma: Your friend had an accident! He's dead! You go bowling and leave a corpse to take care of me!
    • Owen Lift: He's dead?!
    • Momma: See for yourself!
    • Owen Lift: Larry! My friend! My friend, Larry!
    • Momma: 'My friend, my friend!' You little crybaby! Go bury him in the yard before he stinks up the place.
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Throw Momma from the Train Trivia

  • In "Throw Momma From The Train" who got thrown off the train?  Answer »
  • What movie stars Danny DeVito and Billy Crystal?  Answer »
  • In this movie Larry (Billy Crystal) and Owen (Danny DeVito) plan to do away with each others problems. Larry's ex-wife and Owen's mother.  Answer »
  • Movie Star: That has been in all these films: Deconstructing Harry Fathers Day City Slickers Throw Momma From The Train Hamlet  Answer »
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