What Planet Are You From?
An emotionally blank alien banker infiltrates Phoenix to father a weaponized child, only to find that human romance is impossible to engineer.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- absurdist
- awkward
- irreverent
- late night comedy
- quirky date night
What critics said
Critics found some effective laughs in the unusual premise and performances, but broadly judged the comedy inconsistent and bland.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Harold is sent to Earth to impregnate a human and return with the child as part of his civilization's conquest plan.
Harold poses as a Phoenix banker but struggles with dating, marriage, emotional expression, and the A.A. meeting where he meets Susan.
Harold comes from a civilization without emotion that reproduces by cloning, yet begins developing feelings for Susan and their prospective child.
Harold's humming mechanical penis is central to the film's sexual comedy and repeatedly complicates his attempts to find a mate.
Films like What Planet Are You From?, and why
The Man Who Fell to Earth
shares an absurdist science fiction premise, fish out of water humor, and an emotionally detached protagonist learning human attachment
Starman
combines extraterrestrial identity, romantic pursuit, and broad comic discomfort with a gradual movement toward emotional connection
The Lobster
shares offbeat romantic comedy, speculative conceit, and awkward outsider behavior in a story about intimacy and belonging
Movie Details
- Director
- Mike Nichols
- Release Date
- 2000-03-03
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 5.4 / 10 (175)
Cast
- Garry Shandling
- Annette Bening
- John Goodman
- Greg Kinnear
- Ben Kingsley
- Judy Greer
- Danny Zorn
- Harmony Smith
- Richard Jenkins
- Linda Fiorentino
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is What Planet Are You From? about?
- An emotionally blank alien banker infiltrates Phoenix to father a weaponized child, only to find that human romance is impossible to engineer.
- What is What Planet Are You From? like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of What Planet Are You From? as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is What Planet Are You From? violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in What Planet Are You From?.
- What did critics think of What Planet Are You From??
- Critics found some effective laughs in the unusual premise and performances, but broadly judged the comedy inconsistent and bland.
- Which films are like What Planet Are You From??
- Films with a similar feel include The Man Who Fell to Earth, Starman, and The Lobster.
- How long is What Planet Are You From??
- What Planet Are You From? runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch What Planet Are You From??
- In United States, What Planet Are You From? streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
