In the annals of silly films "Look Who's Talking" is bound to go down as one of the silliest. On the other hand, it sold out local sneak previews last week and is likely to be this weekend's box office champ.
But the audience around me found it funnier than I did; for me, "Look Who's Talking" is a one-joke movie that wears out its welcome rather quickly. That's not to say it doesn't have some good laughs, but sustaining feature length is rather difficult for what is essentially a padded skit idea.
The gimmick here is wise-cracking thoughts voiced for the audience by Bruce Willis, beginning with early scenes inside mother Kirstie Alley as the baby begins to form. (Actually, this may be, in a strange way, an anti-abortion statement since, in this film, life begins before conception.)
From those earliest stages, through birth, through his first year of life, the baby, named Mikey, gets to be a real wiseacre comic, courtesy of Willis. And some of Willis' remarks are very funny, especially juxtaposed with the cute faces and expressions of the babies used to play Mikey. (The birth scene is particularly hilarious.)
The problem here is that in between big laugh-getters — such as an accountant having his toupee snatched up by Mikey — are an awful lot of routines that are far too dry — such as Alley's date with said accountant.
"Look Who's Talking" does boast a very funny performance by Kirstie Alley, unquestionably her best work in a feature film, and a charming, self-deprecating effort by John Travolta, as the cabbie who happens into her life at an opportune moment.
What's more, George Segal, in his most toned-down, believable part in years, is fine as the villain of the piece, and Olympia Dukakis and Abe Vigoda both have amusing bits as well.
But let's face it, the babies are the show — and all are as cute and charming as can be.
The baby gags, however, often seem at odds with the story being told as writer-director Amy Hecker-ling ("Fast Times at Ridgemont High," "Johnny Dangerously," "National Lampoon's European Vacation") settles for cheap laughs when she should be developing her characters and finding more humor innate to their circumstances. (I also felt that having other babies communicating with Mikey, as though all babies are telepathic with each other, weakened the film's final punchline.)
"Look Who's Talking" is rated PG-13 for perhaps too much profanity and vulgarity in a movie that is sure to be sought out by children.