Simon | Rotten Tomatoes

Simon

PG

1980

1h 37m

Comedy

List

60%

Tomatometer

20 Reviews

70%

Audience Score

100+ Ratings

This bizarre comedy centers on Simon Mendelssohn (Alan Arkin), a preening professor of psychology who is mischievously duped into believing that he is an extraterrestrial. Dr. Carl Becker (Austin Pendleton) and the other idle think-tank members responsible for his condition also manage to convince the public that he's an alien, resulting in misadventures involving armed soldiers and eccentric commune dwellers when Simon escapes from the halls of academia and out into society.

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Joseph Gelmis

Newsday

"Simon" is a thinking person's comedy. Its defects are trivial.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jun 23, 2021

Full Review

Sumner Rand

Orlando Sentinel

It's all wildly wacky, and Brickman's screenplay takes aim at and neatly punctures many over-blown aspects of modem-day American life.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 23, 2021

Full Review

Perry Stewart

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

Brickman has given us a very nice piece of whimsy. And his star, Alan Arkin, turns out to be the perfect launching pad for Brickman's barbs.

Jun 23, 2021

Full Review

John Brosnan

Starburst

A refreshingly intelligent satire on science and scientists.

Jul 26, 2022

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...smug and mostly intolerable...

Rated: 1/4

Apr 15, 2022

Full Review

Michael McKeever

Fresno Bee

"Simon" is not a very good film. As a matter of fact, it's a rather bad film.

Jun 23, 2021

Full Review

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Daniel D

A truly brilliant and hilarious film. In a perfect world this would have won Oscars. I discovered this film last night and I have since watched it twice. The dry humour is superb and the gags are hilarious. A perfect mix of high brow and low brow humour. Easily in my top 10 films now.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/24

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Joanne B

This movie tries so hard to be funny and droll, it's almost sad. Just awful! Viewers will be embarrassed for this movie and every actor in it.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/17/23

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s r

Eccentric and stupid. It had some good ideas though.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

just ok reminded me of 'trading places'

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

The 2/3 of the movie that works is funny enough to make it worth recommending.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

My favorite scene is the cult leader giving the sermon with the "begats", as in Happy Days begat Laverne and Shirley.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

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Marshall Brickman

Director

Alan Arkin

Prof. Simon Mendelssohn

Madeline Kahn

Dr. Cynthia Mallory

Austin Pendleton

Dr. Carl Becker

Judy Graubart

Lisa

William Finley

Fichandler

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Synopsis

This bizarre comedy centers on Simon Mendelssohn (Alan Arkin), a preening professor of psychology who is mischievously duped into believing that he is an extraterrestrial. Dr. Carl Becker (Austin Pendleton) and the other idle think-tank members responsible for his condition also manage to convince the public that he's an alien, resulting in misadventures involving armed soldiers and eccentric commune dwellers when Simon escapes from the halls of academia and out into society.

Director: Marshall Brickman
Producer: Martin Bregman
Screenwriter: Marshall Brickman
Production Co: Bergman Film Company, Orion Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 28, 2016
Runtime: 1h 37m

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