Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

Sharkflei Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

Plustown A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Marva-nova Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

utgard14 Very funny comedy version of Strangers on a Train. Billy Crystal plays a teacher named Larry struggling with writer's block after his ex-wife stole his idea and turned it into a successful novel. Danny DeVito is one of Billy's students named Owen, a middle-aged man living with his overbearing mother and daydreaming of killing her. After seeing the aforementioned Alfred Hitchcock movie Strangers on a Train, Owen gets the idea that he and Larry should swap murders. So he takes it upon himself to try and kill Larry's ex.Up to this point the movie is excellent and paced very well. The scenes of DeVito in Hawaii calling Billy to let him know of his plan, each time from a different payphone with a different backdrop even though the calls take place seconds apart, are hilarious. Then the movie becomes about Billy freaking out and doing his routine for awhile. No offense to Billy, he's good in this really, but when the focus isn't on DeVito the movie just isn't as entertaining. So after a strong start it stalls a little, then the last twenty minutes or so feels a tad rushed. It felt like the climax should have been stretched out a bit more. Still, fun movie with lots of laughs. Both stars are in top form with a fine supporting cast backing them up. Some of the students in Billy's writing class are scene stealers. It should go without saying that Anne Ramsey's performance is probably the film's highlight. Every one of her scenes is terrific. This is definitely a movie you'll want to see if you have any interest in the actors involved or if you liked the Hitchcock film and want to see a movie that pays homage to it in a humorous way.

classicsoncall In the best tradition of a twisted Hitchcock, this is a disturbingly funny movie that takes the "Strangers on a Train" concept and stands it right on it's head. I have to say, I get a kick out of Anne Ramsey, but ever since I saw her in 1985's "Goonies", I've always believed that was really a man underneath her characters. Calling her ugly wouldn't be a very nice thing to say, but boy, she sure does make you take a step back.Devito and Crystal play off each other quite well here, this was back in their heyday as comedic actors. All Devito has to do is show up actually, he's just plain funny to look at; the voice and mannerisms are an added bonus. It's been quite a while since I saw this film the first time, so hearing that piercing, guttural "Oweeeen" was a perfect way to get me back in the mood for watching this flick again.Okay, so it's not even in the same league as Professor Donner's (Crystal) literature class, but you can have some fun with this one. There's even a twist ending of sorts when it's revealed that Donner's wife (Kate Mulgrew) isn't really dead. So it's actually a happy ending movie after all if you're a clever enough writer to spin it that way.

TedMichaelMor Danny DeVito is a national treasure. His film "Throw Momma from the Train" utterly delights me. I feel inadequate to write about this wonderful work. It is superb on many levels. "Did I come at a bad time," Owen asks. No, this film provides a wonderful time.I accept complaints by critics about the film missing comedic veins or occasions. I do not think that the script is thin as much as parsimonious so that it can exploit the gentle whimsy at the core of the narrative. Owen is really a lovely fellow, with his childlike coin collection and joy at seeing cows. While I might want to know more about his momma, I do not need to know more than the sketch she is for the story. The twist on the coin collection is the counterpoint to the oppressive mother and former wife characters.As I said, the film is terrific. First, Danny DeVito is a great character actor, comedian, and director. Second, Stu Silver wrote a sufficiently tight if not relentlessly funny script. Third, Anne Ramsey's speech impediment caused by her operation for throat cancer somehow sounds the central tone of the film. Ms. Ramsey is over-the-top but it works. I have no idea why. Third, Billy Crystal is a master comedic actor. He is an underrated player in spite of his success. Fourth, Barry Sonnenfeld, the cinematographer, is one of the most gifted people in cinema today. Fifth, Michael Joblow's excellent editing is faultless. Sixth, David Newman cannot write a bad score. Seventh, all the players, except Ms. Ramsey, play their roles straight. I love the deadpan Kate Mulgrew as she creates someone you want to kill as much as you want to kill the nightmare momma Owen deserves to eliminate. Kim Griest provides the realism that make the narration emotionally grounded.I admit that sometimes the plot does seem a tad contrived—especially the train ride. I did not quite see why the players were on the train except maybe somehow to make the title seem appropriate. Some of the car scenes might be excessive and beside the point. The repeated joke about the first line of a novel wears thin. None of that really matters. The film is close to a ten; maybe I underrated it.

bkoganbing If you had a mother that described you like that, you just might be looking to bump her off yourself. It's how Danny DeVito feels about Anne Ramsey, it's just how to put the plan in action.And his creative writing class taught by Professor Billy Crystal gives him the idea. That and a viewing of Alfred Hitchcock's classic Strangers On A Train which gives DeVito the idea to switch murders with Crystal who hates his wife, Kate Mulgrew, who not only is cheating him out of an idea for a book he wanted to write, but is also carrying on with hunky Tony Ciccone.Throw Momma From The Train plays out kind of like Strangers On A Train as DeVito seems to have carried out his end of the murder scheme. But Crystal's having a bit of a problem putting Ramsey down even with Danny's help. That woman might need killing, but she's going to take a lot of it.The only Academy recognition that Throw Momma From The Train got was an Academy Award nomination for Anne Ramsey for Best Supporting Actress. Ramsey lost to Olympia Dukakis for Moonstruck, but the film turned out to be her finest hour. Ramsey already had the throat cancer that would eventually kill her the following year, but look at the list of credits she managed to amass even after Throw Momma From The Train, she worked right up to the end.I've seen interviews with both of the stars of Throw Momma From The Train, Billy Crystal and Danny DeVito, and both have gladly conceded that Anne Ramsey's performance as the mother from hell both made the film the success it was and stole it out from under them. Their acknowledgment of Ramsey's talent and performance is the best possible tribute.If Marion Lorne in Strangers On A Train had been anything like Anne Ramsey here, Farley Granger would gladly have joined Robert Walker in disposing of her. Throw Momma From A Train is one of the best black comedies out there, should not be missed.