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Throw Momma from the Train

Throw Momma from the Train

Comedy · Crime · Thriller · 1987

Larry Donner, an author with a cruel ex-wife, teaches a writing workshop in which one of his students, Owen, is fed up with his domineering mother. When Owen watches a Hitchcock classic that seems to mirror his own life, he decides to put the movie's plot into action and offers to kill Larry's ex-wife, if Larry promises to murder his mom. Before Larry gets a chance to react to the plan, it seems that Owen has already set things in motion.

Movie details

Throw Momma from the Train

“Owen asked his friend Larry for a small favor.”

1987 Comedy · Crime · Thriller 1h 28m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

Larry Donner, an author with a cruel ex-wife, teaches a writing workshop in which one of his students, Owen, is fed up with his domineering mother. When Owen watches a Hitchcock classic that seems to mirror his own life, he decides to put the movie's plot into action and offers to kill Larry's ex-wife, if Larry promises to murder his mom. Before Larry gets a chance to react to the plan, it seems that Owen has already set things in motion.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Throw Momma from the Train?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Danny DeVito

Written by

Stu Silver

Danny DeVito

Danny DeVito

Owen Lift

Billy Crystal

Billy Crystal

Larry Donner

Kim Greist

Kim Greist

Beth Ryan

Anne Ramsey

Anne Ramsey

Mrs. Lift

Kate Mulgrew

Kate Mulgrew

Margaret Donner

Branford Marsalis

Branford Marsalis

Lester

Rob Reiner

Rob Reiner

Joel

Court is in session

Put Throw Momma from the Train on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“It owes the canon nothing.”

The movie pursues immediacy and audience pleasure without begging institutions to certify its worth.

The prosecution The Prestige Tourist

“Easy pleasure, short half-life.”

It moves efficiently through the moment but offers little reason to keep arguing once the credits end.