Throw Momma From The Train

Loosely inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, Throw Momma From The Train follows Billy Crystal’s Larry, a struggling writer/English teacher, as he’s embroiled in a scheme to knock off the abusive mother (Anne Ramsey) of one of his students (Danny DeVito’s Owen). The cast’s continually enthusiastic efforts are, in the end, unable to compensate for a fairly routine (and surprisingly laugh-free) environment, as filmmaker DeVito’s ongoing difficulties at cultivating a feeling of consistent momentum hold the viewer at arm’s length virtually from start to finish – which ultimately ensures that the movie is only really entertaining in starts and fits. It’s clear almost immediately that a big contributor to Throw Momma From The Train‘s lackluster atmosphere is Ramsey’s decidedly unpleasant turn as the title character, as the actress delivers a grating performance that is, to an extremely prominent degree, the cinematic equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. (Perhaps this was the point, however, as the viewer can’t help but root for her demise.) The relative watchable vibe, then, is due almost entirely to the affable efforts of both Crystal and DeVito, with the natural chemistry between the two actors going a long way towards smoothing over the various deficiencies within the narrative. Throw Momma From The Train is, finally, a fairly forgettable piece of work that could (and should) have been so much better, with DeVito’s inability to wholeheartedly sustain either an overtly suspenseful or comedic feel becoming more and more problematic as time progresses.

**1/2 out of ****