First Family

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First Family

R

Released Dec 25, 1980

1h 44m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

20%

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5 Reviews

11%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

The president (Bob Newhart) and his boozing wife (Madeline Kahn) go to Africa to bargain for their abducted daughter's (Gilda Radner) return.

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Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

What is the sound of one man not laughing?

Jun 25, 2013

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

[First Family] has sequences that are side-splittingly funny, others that are sublimely cheerful and still others that, like the movie itself, simply don't know how to end.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 25, 2013

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Disappointing acerbic political satire directed and written by Buck Henry.

Rated: C+

Oct 21, 2016

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Ralph Novak

People Magazine

Buck Henry directed his own screenplay, which disintegrates about halfway through the film.

Jun 25, 2013

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TV Guide

Filled with illogical situations and juvenile humor, First Family will have trouble getting anybody's vote.

Rated: 0/4

Jun 25, 2013

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Steve D

I think the movie wants me to be laughing but it has given me no reason to do so.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/17/23

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Audience Member

Folks are too hard on this movie. Yes, it should have been so much better with everyone involved, but it was still fairly humorous during most of it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

Dreadful comedy with a good cast from Buck Henry has the US President offering kidnapped American citizens in trade with an African nation for special fertilizer from feces that produces huge vegetables. Pretty sure plenty of African would find their portrayal in this film somewhat offensive.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

As I remember, it had one good joke that they showed in the trailer. We went on opening night and were among six people in the theater. No way to disguise the sound of a beer opening in that kind of crowd. How does this cast produce something this bad?

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

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s r

The great potential humor of this film was lost in absurd stupidity.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Should have been great, with Buck Henry and the amazing cast. But it wasn't... (although the last 10 minutes were amazing, how strange is that?)

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

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Buck Henry

Director

Bob Newhart

President Manfred Link

Gilda Radner

Gloria Link

Madeline Kahn

Constance Link

Fred Willard

Presidential Assistant Feebleman

Richard Benjamin

Press Secretary Bunthorne

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Synopsis

The president (Bob Newhart) and his boozing wife (Madeline Kahn) go to Africa to bargain for their abducted daughter's (Gilda Radner) return.

Director: Buck Henry
Producer: Daniel Melnick
Screenwriter: Buck Henry
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 1980, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 44m

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