The Robert Downey Jr Film Guide
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The Robert Downey Jr Film Guide |
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Firstborn (1984) |
Summary |
A boy's life is disrupted when his mom lets her obnoxious boyfriend move into their house. |
Direction |
Michael Apted |
Downey Factor |
Low. |
Character |
Lee, a member of Corey Haim's group of friends, which resembles the cast of a Sunny Delight commercial. |
Looks |
One word: eighties. |
Performance |
Mildly comedic. |
Dies, Gay or Villain |
No, no, no. |
Other Actors |
Teri Garr, Corey Haim, Sarah Jessica Parker |
Connection |
Sarah Jessica Parker in Girls Just Want to Have Fun. |
RDJ Says |
I think, the second movie part I ever got. I moved into [Sarah Jessica Parker's] apartment shortly thereafter ... I went in for an audition and was obnoxious, and Michael Apted dug it. I would go to interviews, and people would ask how I supported myself when I wasn't acting, and I would say, "By my spine." |
Gossip |
During the filming, Downey taught Corey Haim how to use hair gel. It was also the origins of his 7 year relationship with Sarah Jessica Parker. |
Release |
October 26, 1984 |
Foreign Titles |
Brazil: Quando se Perde a Ilusão (When we lose our illusion) Germany: Moving In - Eine fast intakte Familie (Moving In: A Nearly Intact Family) Spain: Un Extraño en Casa (A Stranger in the House) Sweden: Mammas Nya Kille (Mom's New Boyfriend) |
Rotten Tomatoes |
22% Fresh | 9 Reviews |
Critical View |
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The climactic scenes in Firstborn are so dismally predictable that I even got a little angry. The movie had been so good that somehow it didn't have the right to evade all the issues it had raised and just turn into a suburban thriller. |
Availability |
Check your local video store. Not released on DVD |
2 Reasons to See It |
1. You're desperate to see a TV movie but your cable is out. 2. To transport yourself to a mystical world where Corey Haim is more bankable than Robert Downey Jr and Sarah Jessica Parker combined. |
Overall |
If you must, here's a tip: after Corey Haim gets violent with one of his pals, Downey has no more screen time. This is a good point in the movie to remove the video, destroy it and bash your head against the wall until you forget the effort you put into tracking it down. |
If You Liked It |
You might also like Weird Science (1985), Less Than Zero (1987), the Lifetime Movie Network. |
Photos |