56
Metascore
14 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90The New York TimesJanet MaslinThe New York TimesJanet MaslinAs Owen, Mr. DeVito is such an odd combination of the childlike and the diabolical that he remains a captivating figure throughout the story. Mr. DeVito's comic timing is particularly enjoyable, since he has such a slow, steady, deliberate way of building up to outrageous behavior.
- 80Los Angeles TimesMichael WilmingtonLos Angeles TimesMichael WilmingtonThrow Momma is another Hitchcock pastiche or parody, but--taken from Stu Silver's coldly clever, verbally intricate script--it has more depth and humor than usual.
- 60Time OutTime OutA lively black comedy, surprisingly stylishly directed by DeVito (his début), it thankfully soft-pedals on the hysteria front to concentrate on verbal non-sequiturs and quirky characterisation. If it all gets a little soft-centred towards the end, there's more than enough vitality and invention to be going on with.
- 50Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertThe plot in Throw Mama from the Train is top-heavy, but the movie doesn't make as much as it could from its weird characters.
- 50TV Guide MagazineTV Guide MagazineA surprisingly assured directorial debut that is hampered only by a weak script.
- 50Chicago TribuneDave KehrChicago TribuneDave KehrA comedy with a curious tone of depressive whimsy. It manages, somehow, to be both aggressively cute and oppressively sordid. [11 Dec 1987, p.G]
- 40EmpireWilliam ThomasEmpireWilliam ThomasAlways a spoof rather than a homage, this comedy soon realises there's only so many laughs you can plunder from the heavy premise and the repetitive carriages.
- 30Washington PostDesson ThomsonWashington PostDesson ThomsonThe movie's one-note broadness seems suited more to cable. And the story takes the wrong routes -- leaving Crystal's Larry nothing more than likable, and capitalizing callously on the irregular facial features of Anne Ramsey as the villainous Momma.
- 20Washington PostRita KempleyWashington PostRita KempleyBetter yet, just throw the whole thing in front of a subway and hope it gets dragged a couple of miles.