weller79 I had some expectations about this movie, but ultimately I regret the 1/half hour I spent seeing this mess. This film is just a one-woman-show with Tomlin in three roles (two of them completely pointless), but the jokes are at best worth of some cheap sitcom and the movie fails almost each attempt to be funny. Grodin is super-lazy and the introduction of a man in a gorilla suit in the second part of the movie cannot revive a predictable, banal plot with a moral not more complex nor subtle than a Saturday morning cartoon. The few PROs (some nice F/Xs, an authentic 1980s flavour and an excellent Ned Beatty in a thankless role) are not enough to save the movie.

TOMASBBloodhound Just go ahead and watch 9 to 5 again if you want to see Lily Tomlin in something funny depicting more realistic struggles of women. Here, she has to carry the entire load, and the results just aren't as satisfying. Tomlin plays a suburban housewife who suddenly begins to shrink, presumably from a combination of household chemicals and products that her husband's firm has marketed. The whole thing is symbolic for how women are somehow diminished by the world around them. Excessive commercialism, suburban sameness, housekeepers taking over duties of parents, etc... etc... etc. The whole concept ends up taking a backseat to sight gags involving Tomlin climbing around on expanded sets depicting household rooms and appliances. Some of these are quite interesting.The film tries, but the message just isn't as sharp as we'd hope. Many characters also spend the majority of their screen time shouting and acting zany, and this doesn't help. Satire sometimes slips into madcap comedy when the director (this time Joel Schumacher) doesn't keep a tight enough hold on things. And I don't think I can buy this premise on an idealistic level. How does an increased variety of consumer goods diminish the role of a housewife? I think it might do just the opposite. She may now be empowered to find just the right things her family needs. Now I do certainly get the part about the Hispanic housekeeper taking over the role of mother. You look at this house, and it clearly doesn't seem big enough to need a housekeeper if the wife has no job. Was this a swipe at Californians who think having a maid/housekeeper is some sort of status symbol especially if they don't need one? Perhaps. Anyway, the film is loud and the production VERY much a sign of the early 1980s. Charles Grodin and Ned Beatty provide their usual solid support, and Tomlin does her best in multiple roles. The film just doesn't get its point across, and maybe it doesn't have a very good point to make in the first place. 5 of 10 stars.The Hound.

Michael_Elliott Incredible Shrinking Woman, The (1981) ** (out of 4) Semi-spoof of The Incredible Shrinking Man has Lily Tomlin playing a housewife who tests several of her husband's (Charles Grodin) household products and soon finds herself shrinking. This was Joel Schumacher's directorial debut and he handles the material fairly well but the problem is that the material isn't that great to start with. The film tries to be very smart and hip when it comes to commercialism but it forgets to add very many laughs. There are several cute scenes that earn a smile but nothing beyond that. Grodin is wasted in his role as the father and Ned Beatty doesn't add too much either. The highlight is certainly Tomlin in her three roles.

alanmora This film is one of the best comedies ever made and it features Lily Tomlin at her comedic best. Here, Miss Tomlin not only portrays Pat Cramer, the title character but she also gets the opportunity to showcase her comedic genius by portraying several of the characters that helped make her performances on "Saturday Night Live" and "Laugh-In" the stuff of legend. She plays her own chemically conscious neighbor Judith, as well as 2 of her most beloved characters Earnestine the telephone operator and Little Edith Anne! This is a movie I have loved since childhood and grow to love even more with every subsequent viewing. It is rather difficult to locate a copy but is worth the search. Inexplicablly, some copies and some airings on networks such as Encore cut out the Edith Anne skit, which really annoys me personally but I have seen so many different versions of this film that I practically have the scene memorized anyhow (who can forget Tomlin's hysterically funny line as Edith Anne to herself as Pat Kramer..."Is that you, Hamster lady?"). The cause of Pat Kramer's shrinking dilemma is a chemical reaction caused by the use of too many commercial products which really sends a powerful political message as relates to American consumerism that still holds true today. Do yourself a favor and enjoy an evening with Pat Kramer and her kin...you'll be glad you did!