Getting Even with Dad
Encyclopedia
Getting Even With Dad is a 1994 American comedy film starring Macaulay Culkin
and Ted Danson
.
) is Ray Gleason's (Ted Danson
) estranged son, who tries to blackmail
his ex-con father into spending time with him. Ray and two cronies (Saul Rubinek
and Gailard Sartain
) pull off a rare coin heist, and then Timmy arrives wanting to share father-son time. He hides the coins and uses them to blackmail his father. The police are suspicious of Ray, and Detective Theresa Walsh (Glenne Headly
) is over-zealous in her undercover observance of him and Timmy, as she begins to become infatuated
with him.
, demanded on behalf of his son that he be allowed to keep his hair the way it was, pointing out that his character was more a rough around the edges, working class boy and not a clean-cut, prep school one. He got to keep his long hair.
Saul Rubinek
was really hit in the nose with a bat during the scene where he falls down the stairs at the stadium. Since he was caught off guard, his reaction gave the scene a more realistic look. The director decided to leave it in the final cut.
.
Ray's apartment in the movie is located at the corner of Jackson and Mason St. in Chinatown, San Francisco.
.com reported that only one of the eleven critics that reviewed the film gave the film a positive review, resulting in a 8% rating. Culkin's performance in the film earned him a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Actor (also for The Pagemaster
and Richie Rich).
Macaulay Culkin
Macaulay Carson Culkin is an American actor. He became widely known for his portrayal of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He is also known for his roles in Richie Rich, Uncle Buck, My Girl, The Pagemaster, and Party Monster...
and Ted Danson
Ted Danson
Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
.
Plot
The movie is about a dysfunctional father-son relationship. Timmy Gleason (Macaulay CulkinMacaulay Culkin
Macaulay Carson Culkin is an American actor. He became widely known for his portrayal of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He is also known for his roles in Richie Rich, Uncle Buck, My Girl, The Pagemaster, and Party Monster...
) is Ray Gleason's (Ted Danson
Ted Danson
Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
) estranged son, who tries to blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
his ex-con father into spending time with him. Ray and two cronies (Saul Rubinek
Saul Rubinek
Saul Rubinek is a Canadian actor, director, producer and playwright, known for his work in TV, film and the stage.-Early life:...
and Gailard Sartain
Gailard Sartain
Gailard Sartain is an American comedic and serious actor, often playing characters with roots in the South. He is also an accomplished and successful painter and illustrator.-Early years and education:...
) pull off a rare coin heist, and then Timmy arrives wanting to share father-son time. He hides the coins and uses them to blackmail his father. The police are suspicious of Ray, and Detective Theresa Walsh (Glenne Headly
Glenne Headly
Glenne Aimee Headly is an American actress of film, stage and television.-Early life:Glenne Headly was born in New London, Connecticut and her first years were spent living under the care of her mother in San Francisco and her maternal grandmother in Pennsylvania...
) is over-zealous in her undercover observance of him and Timmy, as she begins to become infatuated
Limerence
Limerence is a term coined c. 1977 by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov to describe an involuntary state of mind which seems to result from a romantic attraction to another person combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one's feelings reciprocated...
with him.
Cast
- Macaulay CulkinMacaulay CulkinMacaulay Carson Culkin is an American actor. He became widely known for his portrayal of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He is also known for his roles in Richie Rich, Uncle Buck, My Girl, The Pagemaster, and Party Monster...
as Timmy Gleason - Ted DansonTed DansonEdward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
as Raymond "Ray" Gleason - Glenne HeadlyGlenne HeadlyGlenne Aimee Headly is an American actress of film, stage and television.-Early life:Glenne Headly was born in New London, Connecticut and her first years were spent living under the care of her mother in San Francisco and her maternal grandmother in Pennsylvania...
as Detective Theresa Walsh - Saul RubinekSaul RubinekSaul Rubinek is a Canadian actor, director, producer and playwright, known for his work in TV, film and the stage.-Early life:...
as Robert "Bobby" Drace - Gailard SartainGailard SartainGailard Sartain is an American comedic and serious actor, often playing characters with roots in the South. He is also an accomplished and successful painter and illustrator.-Early years and education:...
as Carl - Hector ElizondoHector ElizondoHéctor Elizondo is an American actor. Elizondo's first major role was that of "God" in the play Steambath, for which he won an Obie Award...
as Lt. Romayko - Sydney WalkerSydney Walker-Early life:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sydney Walker was primarily a stage actor, performing in twenty-eight Broadway plays between 1961 and 1973...
as Mr. Wankmueller - Kathleen WilhoiteKathleen WilhoiteKathleen Wilhoite is an American film and television actress, as well as a singer-songwriter. She also voiced the title character in the animated series Pepper Ann...
as Kitty - Dann FlorekDann FlorekEzekial Dann Florek , professional name Dann Florek, is an American actor and director.-Early life:Florek was born in Flat Rock, Michigan. He attended Eastern Michigan University, but never graduated...
as Wayne (Kitty's new husband) - Scott BeachScott BeachScott Beach was a popular actor, writer, and disc jockey.-Biography:Born Alvin Scott Beach, he appeared in numerous motion pictures, most notably as a German scientist patterned after Wernher von Braun in The Right Stuff.Beach's deep, resonant voice was often heard in films...
as Wino (his final film appearance)
Production
Macaulay Culkin's character was supposed to have a short haircut in this movie, but Culkin, who had let his hair grow at the time, liked his looks and did not want to cut it. His father, Kit CulkinKit Culkin
Christopher Cornelius "Kit" Culkin is an American stage actor, most famous for being the father of Macaulay Culkin, of Home Alone fame, as well as his productions on Broadway.-Life and career:...
, demanded on behalf of his son that he be allowed to keep his hair the way it was, pointing out that his character was more a rough around the edges, working class boy and not a clean-cut, prep school one. He got to keep his long hair.
Saul Rubinek
Saul Rubinek
Saul Rubinek is a Canadian actor, director, producer and playwright, known for his work in TV, film and the stage.-Early life:...
was really hit in the nose with a bat during the scene where he falls down the stairs at the stadium. Since he was caught off guard, his reaction gave the scene a more realistic look. The director decided to leave it in the final cut.
Locations
The theme park featured in the movie was California's Great America located in Santa ClaraSanta Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
.
Ray's apartment in the movie is located at the corner of Jackson and Mason St. in Chinatown, San Francisco.
Reception
The film did not perform well at the box office. Also, it received negative reception from a few critics. The tomatometer from Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.com reported that only one of the eleven critics that reviewed the film gave the film a positive review, resulting in a 8% rating. Culkin's performance in the film earned him a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Actor (also for The Pagemaster
The Pagemaster
The Pagemaster is a 1994 adventure fantasy film starring Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg, Frank Welker, and Leonard Nimoy...
and Richie Rich).