Mr. Mom kind of helped to redefine the role of the man in the house, much at the expense of Michael Keaton of course but still in such a hilarious way that you can’t deny it was groundbreaking. At-home dads have been a growing trend in America for a while now and have been rising in popularity. It’s still not a worldwide phenomenon that could rightly be called one hundred percent normal but it’s far more accepted than it used to be. Mr. Mom may or may not be able to claim at least a little credit for this growing trend but it definitely gave us a little more insight as to the fact that men can in fact take on a home-based role.
How much did we really know about this movie though?
10. Michael Keaton turned down a role in Splash for this film.
Which would you rather see him, a mermaid movie or a film in which he had to assume the role of mom for a while?
9. This was Keaton’s first time getting top billing.
He had a smaller role in the movie Night Shift and that’s part of why he got the role. It was kind of hard to believe he got top billing so soon though.
8. About a year after it’s release Mr. Mom got its own sitcom.
Obviously the sitcom didn’t do that well but it was a good try. A lot of sitcoms have tried to take off after a big hit at the theater but few have ever done much.
7. This movie came about after the director had to look after his own kids.
Your perspective on family life definitely changes when you have to take on a different role than you’re used to.
6. Ron Howard turned down the offer to direct.
He was busy working on Splash at this point, which is kind of funny considering that Keaton went from an offer for Splash to Mr. Mom.
5. Michael Keaton wasn’t the first choice for his role.
There were plenty other A-list actors that were being considered for the role but Keaton was considered to be the best fit.
4. The chain on the chainsaw isn’t moving when it’s being revved up.
That’s because the chain brake is on. It wouldn’t have been too safe to have an active chainsaw on set going at full tilt.
3. The shot of Keaton knocking Jeffrey Tambor out was done in one take.
That’s probably a good thing since those kind of takes can last a while when they have be done over and over.
2. Keaton was given the script after being mentioned by his agent.
His agent was talking to another person that had some pull with the movie and happened to mention Keaton as a funny guy that should be considered for the role.
1. This was one of the many role-reversal movies to come during this era.
Films like Mr. Mom and Baby Boom and even Three Men and a Baby started showing just what it meant to stop being the parent and not so much the childless, successful businessperson.
It might be a hard road but anyone can be successful while having kids. Just buckle up and strap in, it’s a bumpy ride.
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