A Incrível Mulher que Encolheu

A good idea that doesn't work: a sassy, sweetly-zonked wife and mother discovers to her surprise that all the household and sundry chemicals her advertising-executive husband brings home are making her shrink. Actually, this gloppy-looking comedy does manage to get off on the right foot, with playful and funny glimpses into Tomlin's home-life, but once she shrinks and crosses paths with ready-set villains (not to mention talk show host Mike Douglas...who sings!!), the movie frays and falls apart. It's badly photographed (one of the worst-looking movies of the 1980s--what were they thinking when they watched the dailies?) and allows star Tomlin too much room to stretch her comedic chops (playing kooky characters incognito, Lily is much friendlier and funnier just playing a quirky modern woman). A disappointment for Tomlin's fans, especially since the biggest laugh in the picture is delivered by a gorilla flipping the bird. ** from ****

Lily Tomlin has so many comedic talents. And they are all here in this film. Dry wit, dual roles (she's good at that), Ernestine the operator, Edith Ann, the little brat (in a deleted scene). Pure enjoyment. I remember seeing this as a kid. Now as an adult, I enjoy it again, being able to catch little pieces of the humor I never understood as a child. An adorable comedy is all this is. I read so many of these user comments and find too many people looking for some sort of message or spiritual enlightenment or an answer to the meaning of life. Get real. It's cute. Just enjoy it.

It has been decades since I've seen The Incredible Shrinking Woman but I have the fondest memories of the movie. It was so fascinating to me to see Lily Tomlin shrinking day by day while still trying to be a mother and a wife. It was both funny and sad to me as a kid.

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.

This is one of Lily Tomlin's best movies. It's kind of corny, but it's supposed to be. Did anyone notice the bright colors, that satire the 70's, like the lime green? It's charming and amusing, and as a kid, I guess when Pat disappeared it was a little scary, but I knew she would be OK, because she was the star of the movie. It was not that scary, I've seen a lot worse. Most of all, it's very entertaining, and not the least bit tedious if you have a sense of humor and a good imagination. When you watch a movie like this, you have to suspend your disbelief and let your inner child out. This is one of my favorite comedies. Lily is great!