Michael Keaton Tells Us A Sweet, Personal Story He Recently Experienced That Mirrors One Of Mr. Mom’s Greatest Scenes

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As a child of the ’80s, I vividly remember Michael Keaton‘s charming performance as Jack in Mr. Mom. Fast forward to present day, and Keaton’s portrayal of Andy Goodrich in the recent film Goodrich has given me a nostalgic sense of déjà vu. The parallels between these two characters are uncanny, and it’s hard not to see Jack in every scene where Andy struggles with parenting.

Some actors will forever be associated with famous roles. Daniel Radcliffe will always be Harry Potter. Christopher Reeve was associated with the Superman role for the rest of his life. When it comes to Michael Keaton, however, there are a number of characters we think of that link to the actor, thanks to his comedic and dramatic takes. Earlier this year, Keaton brought back Beetlejuice for a long-awaited sequel. He also reprised Batman in The Flash. For me, Keaton will always be Mr. Mom, and I thought of that movie often while watching Keaton’s latest movie Goodrich, playing now in theaters.

In the movie, Michael Keaton portrays a husband and father whose spouse suddenly enters rehab. Although Andy Goodrich shares a strong bond with his grown daughter, Grace (Mila Kunis), he’s unsure about how to navigate raising the teenage twins he recently had with his current wife. Consequently, Andy encounters situations reminiscent of Mr. Mom, where Keaton played a father who had to take care of the kids at home when he lost his full-time job.

In conversation with Goodrich, I mentioned the similarities between “Mr. Mom” and some aspects of Keaton’s life. This led him to share a heartwarming anecdote about how reality can sometimes mirror the events depicted in the 1983 comedy film. As Keaton put it:

I recently took my grandkids somewhere the other day, and it was quite fascinating. The younger one is just seven. When I tried to help him get ready for class, he adamantly refused, saying “No, no, no. I’m good. I’m good going to class.” It’s not something I appreciate, but he turned around and asserted confidently, “I’m good! I wanna go by myself!” The older one didn’t want me to leave, and interestingly enough, I was actually 15 minutes early for drop-off, so I wasn’t late at all.

In one scene from Goodrich, Michael Keaton’s character is unsure about the school drop-off procedure, reminding many viewers of his character Jack from Mr. Mom, who famously struggled with carpool drop-offs at his kids’ school. The line “You’re doing it wrong,” a classic joke from that film, often comes to mind when watching this scene. This moment is still considered one of the funniest in a Keaton comedy.

As our conversation progressed, Keaton started pondering deeper about the “Mr. Mom” movie, its placement in his career timeline. At that point, he wasn’t yet a widely recognized figure, and he was choosing projects not only for their appeal but also to ensure financial stability. In his own words:

I took (Mr. Mom) because it was well written. It was John Hughes’s first movie, and it was really funny. I just knew it was funny. I just remember also thinking, ‘I look like I’m 10, so we’re going to have to rewrite some stuff or adjust to it.’ You know, I got married… I was a young dad. So he’s a young dad. You get married, as people do sometimes, early and blah, blah, blah. But I really liked doing it. It was a little harder than most people think, because some stuff had to be fixed. But I like it.

In that movie, the decisions he made are undoubtedly influencing some of his choices in the upcoming film “Goodrich“. Mila Kunis is a fantastic co-star for him on screen, and the child actors who play his children are incredibly charming. Keep an eye out for “Goodrich” at a theater near you. Also, take a look at our guide to 2024 movies to discover what other films will be playing from now until the end of the year.

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2024-10-28 18:08