From Other Worlds is a 2004 American science fiction comedy film written and directed by Barry Strugatz and starring Cara Buono, Isaach de Bankolé, David Lansbury, Robert Peters, Melissa Leo and Joel de la Fuente.
Contents
Cast
Cara Buono as Joanne Schwartzbaum
Isaach de Bankolé as Abraham
Melissa Leo as Miriam
Joel de la Fuente as Alien
David Lansbury as Brian Schwartzbaum
Robert Peters as Steve
Paul Lazar as Larry
Laurie Esterman as Psychiatrist
Robert Downey Sr. as Baker
Jason Oakerson as Big Lab Assistant
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 38% of 13 critics' reviews are positive.
Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 43 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.
Robert Koehler of Variety gave the film a positive review, calling it an "amiable and arch comedy". Nick Schager of Slant Magazine awarded the film one and a half stars out of four, and wrote, "The film is an awkward mix of comedy, romance, and out-there fantasy. (...) Too bad the story’s humorous bits are so sluggish and off-key".
Scott Tobias of The A.V. Club graded the film a C+, and stated it in the conclusion of his review that "without [Cara] Buono's infectious turn—and perhaps also the one from that alien who impersonates Marlon Brando—From Other Worlds would simply float off into the ether. Even with her, it's often a sickly sweet confection."