| Look Who's Talking | |
| Studio: | TriStar Pictures |
| Distributor: | Sony Pictures Entertainment |
| Released: | 1989-1993 |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Gross: | $355,061,198 |
The Look Who's Talking franchise consists of American romantic family-comedies, including three theatrical films and a television series spin-off. The plot of each installment centers around a combined family, and their efforts to create the best lives for their infant children; while the infant children seek to help their parents through the use of an internal storytelling device, which the audience can hear. The central characters experience comedic and trying experiences that ultimately bring them closer together as a family unit.
The original film was met with mild critical reception, though it was deemed a hit box office.[1] In years since, the movie has earned its status as a cultural classic.[1] Its first sequel in contrast was received poorly by critics, and earned less than half of its predecessor. The third movie was considered a disappointment both critically and financially. Similarly, the television series spin-off received negative response from critics and viewers alike. Despite this, the two sequels have found a modern-day fanbase with critic reanalysis including the two installments in "so bad [they're] good" movie lists.[2] [3] [4] Following the death of Kirstie Alley, various sources described the series as one of the greatest roles of her career.[5]
| Film | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriter | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Look Who's Talking | Amy Heckerling | Jonathan D. Krane | ||
| Look Who's Talking Too | Amy Heckerling | Amy Heckerling & Neal Israel | ||
| Look Who's Talking Now! | Tom Ropelewski | Tom Ropelewski & Leslie Dixon | ||
See main article: Look Who's Talking.
An accountant named Mollie Jensen regularly finds herself facing romantic hardships, with skepticism from her friends. When Mollie has a sexual encounter with a married man named Albert, she becomes pregnant. Though Albert promises to end his marriage for her, its soon discovered that he is a womanizer and has no intentions of helping raise the child. Upon going into labor, Mollie travels by taxi to the nearest hospital with the help of a driver named James Ubriacco. After the hospital staff mistakes James as the father, Mollie gives birth to her son who she names Michael.
Though a single parent, Mollie determines to find what she believes will make a suitable father for her son, while her friendship with James strengthens; all while James becomes close with her baby "Mikey". As romantic feelings begin to build between them, Albert attempts to reinsert himself into Mollie and Mikey's lives. As Mollie tries to determine whether she wants to rekindle a relationship with Albert or whether her working-class friend James could be a suitable father, Mikey determines to serve as the catalyst that finally brings Mollie and James together.[6] [7] [8] [9]
See main article: Look Who's Talking Too.
James and Mollie prepare for the arrival of a new baby girl, while the couple begins to toilet train Mikey. James begins to work more consistently in his piloting job so that he can earn a higher income for his family, after being encouraged by Mollie's parents to do so. As the due date approaches, Mikey becomes excited for his new role as the older brother. Returning home after an emergency c-section birth of their baby, Mikey discovers that his little sister named Julie isn't impressed. The family endure the comedic experiences of a toddler and an infant in the house. As James has a demanding schedule at work, Mollie's impassive brother Stuart comes to stay with them as a means to assist with the housekeeping and babysitting.
The differences between James and Stuart add to the stressed communications between the couple, and the pair decides to separate for an unseeable future. Believing that their father left because of the new baby, Mikey becomes resentful towards Julie and a rivalry between them ensues. Though James remains involved with his children, Mollie begins to realize that he is missing the milestone events of their children, including Julie's first steps. Learning of severe storms that were coming, Mollie rushes to the airport to ask James to stay with hopes of bringing him back home. Leaving the children in the care of Stuart, she arrives just as the flight towers cancel the trip. Following a series of dangerous events including a robbery and a housefire, Mikey and Julie realize how much they care for each other; while the Ubriacco strengthens their relationships as a family.[10] [11]
See main article: Look Who's Talking Now!.
Years later, the Ubriacco family continues to grow with James and Mollie determining that the family needs a dog. Though James has become a private pilot for a rich cosmetics tycoon named Samantha, he continues to search for opportunities to be involved with the lives of his family members. Though Mollie initially is suspicious and worries if James will cheat on her, she realizes that it is Samantha that has questionable intentions. After returning from the animal shelter with a formerly-stray mutt named Rocks who has bonded with Mikey, the family is surprised by Samantha who was brought her poodle named Daphne as a gift for James. Though the family doesn't know how to manage two very different dogs, they do their best as Julie has also bonded with Daphne. Through their internal voices, the dogs begin to share their talents with one another and build a friendship overcoming their rivalry.
Just before Christmas, James is required by Samantha to be present for what she has called a meeting with an important client, only to find that she has brought him to an isolated cabin to be alone with her. Trapped in a snowstorm and avoiding her advances, James calls his family explaining the situation. Determined to "bring Christmas" to James, and with the combined help of Rocks and Daphne, the entire Ubriacco family travels through the woods searching for the cabin.[12] [13] [14] [15]
In 2010, a reboot of the franchise was announced as being in development. The story was reported as being centered around an adult aged Michael "Mikey", who is about to reach fatherhood in the movie. Neal H. Moritz will serve as producer.[16] In 2019, Jeremy Garelick and Adam Fields joined the product as writer/director and an additional producer, respectively. The project will be a joint-venture production between Sony Pictures and Screen Gems.[17] In February 2020, Travolta and Alley expressed interest in reprising their roles from the original trilogy now in the role of grandparents.[18] With Alley's death in December 2022 from colon cancer, the status of this reboot is uncertain.
See main article: Baby Talk (TV series).
Initially developed as a television adaptation of Look Who's Talking, the associated studios and networks reworked the series to be an official spin-off to the films. Produced and aired through American Broadcasting Company (ABC), the series followed a similar premise to the films. The plot centered around Maggie Campbell, a single mother who manages her responsibilities while also searching for a suitable father for her son, an infant named Mickey; who vocalizes his perceptions of the world to the viewing audience, through the storytelling technique of an internal voice. Maggie welcomes the romantic advances of various single men, while Mickey tries to determine who is best for his mother. Following the overall negative critical reception of the first season, the producers and associated studios recast the majority of the principal cast; while also moving the characters to a new city.[19] [20]
| Character | Films | Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Look Who's Talking | Look Who's Talking Too | Look Who's Talking Now! | Baby Talk | ||
| Season One | Season Two | ||||
| James Ubriacco | John Travolta | colspan="2" | |||
| Mollie Jensen-Ubriacco | Kirstie Alley | colspan="2" | |||
| Michael "Mikey" Ubriacco | Christopher Aydon Bruce Willis | Lorne Sussman Bruce Willis | David Gallagher | colspan="2" | |
| Julie Ubriacco | Joan Rivers | Megan Milner Roseanne Barr | Tabitha Lupien | colspan="2" | |
| Rocks Ubriacco | Danny DeVito | colspan="2" | |||
| Daphne Ubriacco | Dianne Keaton | colspan="2" | |||
| Maggie Campbell | Connie Sellecca Julia Duffy | Mary Page Keller | |||
| Mickey Campbell | Ryan Jessup & Paul Jessup Tony Danza | ||||
| Doris Campbell | Polly Bergen | ||||
| Joe | George Clooney | ||||
| Dr. Elliot Fleisher | Tom Alan Robbins | ||||
| James Holbrook | Scott Baio | ||||
| Anita Craig | Francesca P. Roberts | ||||
| Danielle Craig | Alicia Johnson & Celicia Johnson Vernee Watson-Johnson | ||||
| Tony Craig | Wayne Collins | ||||
| Film | Crew/Detail | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composer | Cinematographer(s) | Editor(s) | Production companies | Distributing company | Running time | ||
| Look Who's Talking | David Kitay | Thomas Del Ruth | Debra Chiate | Tri-Star Pictures, M.C.E.G. Productions Inc. | Sony Pictures Entertainment | 1 hr 36 mins | |
| Look Who's Talking Too | Tri-Star Pictures, Big Mouth Productions | 1 hr 22 mins | |||||
| Baby Talk | Bill Maxwell | Daniel Flannery & Dan Kuleto | Charlie Bowyer & Richard Russel | Columbia Pictures Television, Weinberger Company | American Broadcasting Company | 17 hrs 30 mins | |
| Look Who's Talking Now! | William Ross | Oliver Stapleton | Henry Hitner & Michael A. Stevenson | TriStar Pictures | Sony Pictures Entertainment | 1 hr 35 mins | |
| Film | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Budget | Worldwide net total income | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Other territories | Worldwide | All-time North America | All-time worldwide | |||||
| Look Who's Talking | $140,088,813 | $157,011,187 | $297,100,000 |
|
| $7,500,000 | $289,600,000 | [21] [22] [23] | |
| Look Who's Talking Too | $47,789,074 | $47,789,074 |
|
| ≤$47,789,074 | [24] [25] | |||
| Look Who's Talking Now! | $10,172,124 | $10,172,124 |
|
| ≤$10,172,124 | [26] [27] | |||
| Totals | $198,050,011 | $157,011,187 | $355,061,198 | x̄ #2,574 | x̄ #3,773 | >$7,500,000 | ≤$347,561,198 | ||
| Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Look Who's Talking | 55% (38 reviews)[28] | 51/100 (15 reviews)[29] | A[30] | |
| Look Who's Talking Too | 13% (16 reviews)[31] | B | ||
| Baby Talk | 0% (10 reviews)[32] | 30/100 (6 reviews)[33] | ||
| Look Who's Talking Now! | 0% (25 reviews)[34] | 26/100 (19 reviews)[35] | B+ |