No Place Like Home
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Predictable alien landing movie, with sibling name-calling.
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Based on 1 parent review
Family movie
What's the Story?
While in the middle of nowhere trying to finish a science project, Mac and his sister Mel (Alana Austin) find an unclothed young man crouched behind a bush, speaking a strange language. Unsure of what else to do, they clothe the man and try to take him to the authorities. After accidentally running over and killing a rabbit while driving in their jeep, this alien who they've decided to name "Moses" resurrects the bunny, leading them to suspect that Moses is not just a lost foreigner, but an alien. They try and convince their father (Judge Reinhold) about this, but it is ultimately up to the kids to figure out a way to get Moses back to his home planet before his energy is gone, the authorities arrest him, and an eccentric physicist (Bruce Weitz) abducts him.
Is It Any Good?
NO PLACE LIKE HOME doesn't really add anything new to the "alien landing on Earth" genre. There are absolutely no surprises -- not even in the bad twist ending -- to say nothing of the lame character stereotypes (clumsy sheriff, sassy administrative assistant, mystical Native American among others), and the corny jokes interspersed throughout. Kids will groan at the cheesy special effects; adults will wonder what the heck ever happened to the careers of Richard Moll (Bull from the 1980's sitcom Night Court) and Judge Reinhold.
Basically, this is a sub-par attempt to combine E.T. and Starman. The name-calling between brother and sister probably won't endear this to parents either. There are better alien landing movies out there.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how this film compares to other films about aliens. What are the similarities and differences?
What are some of the character stereotypes represented in this film? Why do movies use stereotypes?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: January 8, 2008
- Cast: Bruce Weitz , Joanna Pacula , Judge Reinhold
- Director: Craig Clyde
- Studio: GAIAM
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Space and Aliens
- Run time: 87 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
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