Movie: 'Innerspace' (1987)

Movie: 'Innerspace' (1987)

Having grown up with this movie, loved it, and watched it on many many occasions it is surprising that only now do I watch it with a critical eye. Even more surprisingly I still love it, albeit a little less in the final stretch, which feels so compressed and rapid that it can't be anything but a consequence of someone realising how long this movie could be otherwise! This movie could have been a two and a half hour epic and still be squished in the pacing, but what happens here is that it goes so screwball as to parody itself. Perhaps it is simply a characteristic of the great director Joe Dante, his penchant for the absurd overtaking his better judgement, or something of the late screenwriter Jeffrey Boam shrieking in gleeful insanity? In any case, once the faces start shifting, reality goes out the window.

'Innerspace' sees deadbeat test pilot Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid) get shrunk down in a submersible pod and injected into the body of supermarket worker Jack Putter (Martin Short) by a scientist desperate to avoid his being captured by the mercenary enemies on his trail. What follows is simply the chase in which Jack comes to terms with the tiny pilot talking to him, the mystery behind it all becomes unravelled, Tuck's ex-girlfriend Lydia (Meg Ryan) enters into the caper, and eventually all is solved.

Ultimately the movie is all about Jack, played by Martin Short in the role of his career. Short is brilliant in this movie, acting his socks off and finally breaking your heart just a little as Lydia reunites with Tuck and his love goes unrequited. Happy and sad and resilient all packed into a man finally enjoying life against all odds. It's really rather magnificent in a fun movie! The stories behind Tuck and Lydia are much less important, as are the madnesses of the magnificent Kevin McCarthy and Robert Picardo as the main villains. Kevin McCarthy... magnificent as an unhinged criminal lawyer who is criminal in most senses of the word and Picardo suitably daffy as the fence who imported velcro into the Persian Gulf. Beware pink office spaces taking up small fractions of warehouse floors. Anyone who's watched knows what that means.

'Innerspace' is a fun, light movie, a broad caper with a heart of gold which does fall apart as I previously said. So does 'Explorers', Dante's preceding movie and the only other I can remember seeing clearly. It's too early to call a pattern which probably isn't there. He's an excellent director who makes fun movies, mostly horror themed, and these two plus 'Matinee' and 'Small Soldiers' constitute all I wish to see. 'Matinee' will be up for review soon in fact! I'm looking forward to seeing it again! Umm, this review has gone clearly off the rails... Special effects!

The special effects in this movie are amazing and totally - welcomingly - free of computer graphics. CGI is best to be avoided in my opinion, as practical effects done well beat it every time! Some of the shots are awesome when you think about how they must have done them. There are even old fashioned tricks involving doubles and running around sets I won't spoil further. The acting is excellent and the supporting cast is stellar! Below Quaid, Short, Ryan, McCarthy and Picardo we find some superb character actors in Henry Gibson, William Schallert, Orson Bean and even Dick Miller as a cab driver. It's a deep bench, featuring a host of Dante regulars that add fuzzy warmth. It's such a wonderful concoction while the pace is slow and adorably in many respects.

Oh, to boggles with it all, reviewing a favourite movie impartially is ridiculous. If only the ending were better! If only there were no 'eat me, drink me' riddle for the re-enlargement! If only there could be a reason for Jack's friends to be at Tuck's wedding! If only there were a reason why Tuck would have a manual for changing human faces in his pod intended for an experiment in a RABBIT! And if only Lydia didn't get all unexpectedly dopey once she realised Tuck was inside Jack! We hope Tuck is good enough for his girlfriend now he knows she's carrying his (?) baby, but is he really any better at all? We'll never know, but perhaps that's realistic for life. We're not meant to know. Maybe she ended up with Jack anyway after he rescued them post-credits. Ah, it's a good movie that leaves you at the beginning of a new adventure.

I'm prejudiced. It's a great movie with a flawed ending.

Oliver.

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