Your Company
 

Stuart Saves His Family

✭ ✭ ✭   Read critic reviews

Germany, United States · 1995
Rated PG-13 · 1h 35m
Director Harold Ramis
Starring Al Franken, Laura San Giacomo, Vincent D'Onofrio, Shirley Knight
Genre Comedy, Drama

The Saturday Night Live character, a self-help advocate named Stuart Smalley, comes to the big screen. After losing his public access television show, Stuart must beg for his job back to support his dysfunctional family. His 12-step sponsors support Stuart as he regresses to his negative behaviors with each challenge he faces.

Stream Stuart Saves His Family

What are people saying?

What are critics saying?

60

TV Guide Magazine by

Often funny, darker than you'd expect, and firmly grounded in Franken's extensive experience of the 12-Step worldview.

40

Washington Post by Hal Hinson

There's a genuinely tragic side to Stuart's character, and for the movie to work the filmmakers have to keep it in balance with the comedy so that the pathos of his life doesn't kill all the laughs. But Ramis can't keep the movie's tone under control, and, as a result, it teeters precariously between farce and wake.

60

The New York Times by Janet Maslin

Little more than a set of intermittently funny skits strung together by a sketchy nonplot about Stuart's relatives. As directed by Harold Ramis, it's seldom better than just amiable.

30

Variety by Joe Leydon

This feeble comedy isn't the worst pic ever to be spun off from a "Saturday Night Live" sketch --"It's Pat!" maintains a firm grip on that dubious distinction -- but it is woefully lacking in the humor and charm needed to attract mainstream audiences.

70

Chicago Reader by Jonathan Rosenbaum

Even if you find Franken hard to bear, as I do, the movie's take on how he functions in the world is both authoritative and compelling, and the movie steadily grows in stature.

75

Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert

A genuine surprise: A movie as funny as the "SNL" stuff, and yet with convincing characters, a compelling story and a sunny, sweet sincerity shining down on the humor.

Users who liked this film also liked