What Planet Are You From? poster & wallpaper

Annette Bening, Ben Kingsley, Camryn Manheim

On the hilarious TV series The Larry Sanders Show, you could scarcely tell the difference between Garry Shandling's smile and his grimace--he always looked as if Hollywood was giving him a bad...( read more  read more... ) case of gas. In this shockingly unfunny film, which Shandling cowrote, one can only imagine that the other writers severely diluted Shandling's original intentions--the wince, his only expression, seems real. Worse, you'll share his dismay.

Shandling stars as an alien from a sterile race of clones who is sent to Earth to procreate with an Earth woman--exactly why this is necessary is left fuzzy. Ostensibly, given the title, this should lead to a raucous satire of dating mores. Instead, our space invader quickly takes up with a recovering alcoholic played by Annette Bening, and we chart their stridently bumpy but predictable relationship. Greg Kinnear costars as a slimy coworker; Linda Fiorentino plays Kinnear's man-eating wife; John Goodman portrays an FAA official who's onto Shandling's secret; and Ben Kingsley appears as the humorless leader of the alien planet. The single recurring joke involves the alien's genitalia and its propensity, when excited, to buzz loudly, which it does at least 10 or 15 times--after it ceases to be remotely amusing.

Shandling plays his character as so stunningly obtuse that whenever he manages a genuinely clever line it practically seems out of character; the rest of the talented cast flounders, similarly lost. Director Mike Nichols has staged painfully awkward scenes with elan in the (distant) past--think The Graduate or Carnal Knowledge--but What Planet Are You From? simply sits there, flailing desperately, seemingly aware of its own crushing tedium. Large chunks of the film appear to have been left on the editing room floor; it's hard to imagine material even more comically futile than what appears onscreen. --David Kronke

Flixster Users

27% liked it

5,102 ratings

Critics

42% liked it

76 critics

R, 107 min.

Directed by: Mike Nichols

Release Date: March 3, 2000

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DVD Release Date: July 18, 2000

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Flixster Reviews (159)

  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    January 19, 2008
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    I can't believe Mike "The Graduate" Nichols directed THIS.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    August 17, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    Weird flick with lots of Garry Shandling clones. I didn't find this music too fun. I didn't quite get it.
  • Drewbacca
    April 9, 2006
    Drewbacca
    Not really all that great; I just love Gary Shandling.
  • ileo
    January 1, 2008
    ileo
    Hilarious!
  • FutureMrsNeeson
    August 20, 2009
    FutureMrsNeeson
    Greg Kinnear is in it so I NEED 2 SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • tsigur
    April 24, 2009
    tsigur
    I watched this movie really wasted, so I'm not sure if this review is really all that fair. From what I remember there are some great, funny scenes from a really talented cast. Kinnear has some really funny asshole moments and John Goodman seems to make anything work. Annette Ben...( read more)ing is the definition of a cougar and really brings a real levity to a lot of really stupid situations. The film is cute and inventive at the opening, but then gets bogged down by some really lame stuff. Shandling is funny, but there is this whole running away from the bad guys scene which really turned the movie into a stupid chase film in an already reaching plot. Either way, not terrible and a good way to pass the time while you are waiting for everyone to pass out so you can fall asleep on the couch.
  • Angelsmile66
    April 11, 2009
    Angelsmile66
    This movie is hilarious!!!
  • lucianoevangelista
    January 29, 2009
    lucianoevangelista
    Some funny scenes makes it watchable, but I still can't believe Mike Nichols made a movie like this.
  • xxxcli213xxx
    December 10, 2008
    xxxcli213xxx
    no thanks not my kinda thing
  • cristyseer
    November 28, 2008
    cristyseer
    Proof that Men are from a different planet...

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Critic Reviews

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

If you're making a movie about a man who has a strange noise coming from his pants, you should cast an actor who looks different when it isn't. full review

January 1, 2000
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

The picture barely works as a silly adult sex farce, it isn't nearly freewheeling and naughty enough. full review

View more What Planet Are You From? reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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What Planet Are You From? Trivia

  • Which movie is this from: "What part of planet loser are you from? Well, at least I'm not from planet look at me look me!"  Answer »
  • Name the movie from the following actors and actresses. *Garry Shandling *Annette Benning *John Goodman *Greg Kinnear *Ben Kingsley *Judy Greer *Linda Fiorentino *Nora Dunn  Answer »
  • What movie is the following quote from: "You are a cancer of this planet, and we are the cure."  Answer »
  • Who is the alien in What Planet Are You From ?  Answer »
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