WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM?

US, 2000, 100 minutes, Colour.
Gary Shandling, Annette Bening, John Goodman, Greg Kinnear, Ben Kingsley, Linda Fiorentino, Richard Jenkins.
Directed by Mike Nichols.

What Planet Are You From was not a box office success. This is surprising given the talent of the cast as well as the film being directed by Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Catch-22, Postcards from the Edge).

The plot is reminiscent of a B-budget science fiction thriller of the 1950s. However, it is given a sexual twist where the aliens in a faraway planet want domination of Earth but not by invasion, rather by impregnating a woman and taking the baby back to the planet. The film has some humorous scenes of a rather totalitarian planet, absolutely emotionless (in the Barbarella tradition) and finding out about sexuality as they send an agent to Earth. Needless to say, when he comes to Earth he experiences both the repercussions of his absolute male chauvinism and learns, of course, to find some emotions.

Gary Shandling, from the television Larry Sanders Show, is the agent and gives a sly, sometimes deprecating, sometimes vain performance. Annette Bening is good as the down-and-out woman that is to be the mother of his child and with whom he falls in love. John Goodman enjoys himself as an aviation agent given the mission to explore what had happened on the flight by which the aliens could come to Earth. Greg Kinnear is absolutely smarmy as a business competitor. Linda Fiorentino has a small role as his wife.

There is a great deal of ironic comedy, especially the vocalising of absolute male chauvinist attitudes and feminine reactions to these. In this way, the film pokes fun at men's attitudes and supports women's attitudes. However, the humour is not as strong or as clever as it might be in order to sustain this kind of critique. In fact, the film often relies on corny, sometimes cheap jokes as well as an amount of slapstick. However, the film is an interesting, sometimes entertaining curiosity.

1. The film as satire, 21st century men and women, relationships, sexuality, human dignity?

2. The talent involved in the film, the cast, the director? The result - worthy of all this talent, less than worthy? Box office failure?

3. The plausibility and implausibility of the plot? The alien planet, the human beings on the planet, their coming to Earth, in the plane, the toilet? The jokes about alien movies and anal probes? The Invasion of the Bodysnatchers tradition with the alien seeming to be a normal human being except for the lack of emotion? The effect on ordinary human beings encountering the alien and his completely rational and logical way of acting without any emotional response whatsoever?

4. The opening, Graydon and his giving the speech about the planet, its need to bring a human child from Earth? The training sessions, the robot and holograph, the explanations about a woman's attitudes and the way she should be complimented? Her conversation and the "Ah ha" response? Harry being chosen, his special training? The speech sending him on his mission? His arriving in the plane, in the toilet, the discussions with Graydon, Graydon disappearing down the toilet bowl? His emergence in the plane, his reaction to the flight attendant, his way of talking? His being slapped?

5. Harry and his not realising how sexist his remarks were, the kind of response that he got? The flight attendant, the woman at the airport and her slapping him and getting a taxi? His cover, going to work, his boss and the references? The meeting with Perry, their talk, the sex clubs, Perry's relationship with Pam? Going to the strip clubs? Harry and his eagerness to achieve his mission?

6. Perry taking Harry to the AA meeting and his motivations for meeting women? The speeches, Susan and her speech? People's response? Harry's response to Susan, wanting her to be the one? Susan's disgust at the motivation? Perry and his car hitting Susan's, her going to the office, Helen arriving and her suspicions about Perry's behaviour? Meeting Harry again? His phoning Susan, their going out, enjoying each other's company, her bewilderment, her response? The explanation, his proposal, her acceptance after talking with her girlfriends? The marriage ceremony and its brevity, tape-recorded music, the vows? The honeymoon and the continual sex? Harry's wanting her to be pregnant? The return, discussing with her girlfriends?

7. Harry at work, his going on marriage leave, Perry stealing his report, lying about him? Harry sending the boss to the vault to discover Perry and Pam? Helen, her rival, Harry going home with her, the sexual encounter, the lights and the photo? His going back to Susan, not coping, her bewilderment? His wanting to watch the television, Susan and her being hurt?

8. Roland, his work for aviation, his investigations, his wife and her suspicions, his marriages and her comments? His checking on the flights, the photo of Harry, trying to explain to the officials what had happened, his interviewing Harry at the office? The officials, their sending him on leave? His getting the sack? His wife leaving him? His coming to Harry, wanting to verify that what he suspected was true? Graydon's arrival, his being shot, Roland and his asking for the body?

9. Harry, the discovery that Susan was pregnant, his happiness, the growth of the baby, his comforting her, his giving up the television? The visit to the doctor, the discovery that the baby was bigger than expected? The birth? The joy with the baby, Susan's response, Harry and his taking the baby?

10. His going back to the planet, his being applauded? His doing the training, the holograph looking like Susan and saying her words? His trying to train the future agents? Realising what he had learnt? Discovering that the baby was being kept from him? His rushing back to get the baby, to escape back to Earth? Susan, her grief, her friends, distraught about the baby? His bringing the baby back, the explanations? Their remarrying with everybody in attendance?
11. The character of Perry, the sleazy workmate, stealing people's work, trying to get promotion, lording it over Harry? His infidelities? His wife and their relationship? Her callow attitudes? The boss at the office, being impressed by Harry, being impressed by Perry?

12. Everybody turning up at the wedding, bringing all the themes together? The nature of the humour, verbal, visual, slapstick? Sexist jokes, political correctness? The points being made about human nature, human dignity, men and women?