The title was very familiar to me, and it sounded like the kind of film that the young star of Macaulay Culkin would be in, so I was interested to see whether the concept would be, from director Howard Deutch (The Whole Ten Years). Basically Raymond 'Ray' Gleason (Three Men and a Baby's Ted Danson) is planning a coin heist with his two accomplices Robert 'Bobby' Drace (Saul Rubinek) and Carl (Gailard Sartain) so he can buy a bakery, but he has a surprise visitor. His son Timmy (Razzie nominated Macaulay Culkin) has been living with Ray's sister, including while he was in prison, and he wants to a get to know his father better, but obviously this is inconvenient. The thieves manage to pull off the heist and get the valuable coins, and Timmy finds out about it, and he uses it to his advantage by taking and hiding the coins in order to con his father. Ray has to spend time with his son in order to get the coins back, this includes trips to a swimming park, a mini golf course and meals out, and for a while this is getting on his nerves, but actually over time the father is getting closer to and finding admiration for his son. Meanwhile the police are also trying to find the coins and catch the gang out, with Detective Theresa Walsh (Glenne Headly) going undercover to get close to the main man, and unintentionally falling for him. Eventually Timmy finds that he cannot change his father's ways, and he offers him the choice of the coins back, or staying with his son, and thankfully he chooses his son, but the locker the coins are in are opened and he ends up arrested. In the end though the bag is full of loose change, the real coins are returned to the authorities, and Timmy and Ray go on to have a close father-son relationship. Also starring Hector Elizondo as Lt. Romayko, Sam McMurray as Alex, Sydney Walker as Mr. Wankmueller and Kathleen Wilhoite as Kitty. Culkin does his usual mischievous and more clever than the adults character, as well as being a little spoilt, and he has a silly hairdo, Danson also has a slightly daft pony tail, he gives a good annoyed performance, I will agree that the father's thieving partners are the ones that get a little more punishment, I hoped for more slapstick stuff, it was an easy to swallow but hardly worth the effort family comedy. Okay!
Review of Getting Even with Dad
