The Man With Two Brains | Rotten Tomatoes

The Man With Two Brains

R

Released Nov 18, 1983

1 hr. 33 min.

Comedy

List

79%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When brilliant brain surgeon Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr (Steve Martin) accidentally hits gold-digger Dolores Benedict (Kathleen Turner) with his car, he takes it upon himself to save her life using his own surgical technique. The two are soon married, but no sooner are the rings on their fingers than the marriage begins to fall apart. While honeymooning in Vienna, Hfuhruhurr is introduced to reclusive scientist Dr. Alfred Necessiter (David Warner), who practices some rather unorthodox procedures.

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Critics Consensus

As spastically uneven as its zany title suggests, The Man with Two Brains isn't peak Steve Martin -- but it's still often close enough to enjoy.

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Lisa L

Any comedy with the line "The only time we doctors should accept death is when it's caused by our own incompetence" is worth checking out.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/08/23

Full Review

Ogn D

They try so hard and maybe it's just me who doesn't find anything funny anymore 🙁

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

06/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Carl Reiner directs a comedy starring Steve Martin and Kathleen Turner A doctor lost his wife but still keeps her brain fresh in a jar He gets the crazy idea to put it in another person to have a second chance This is a result of an accident after hitting a woman Dolores, a gold digger who goes through rich men It's his late wife's brain in this woman but the doctor suddenly becomes trapped in such a loveless marriage Steve Martin is utterly hilarious here with his comic timing doing a lot of physical stuff, facial expressions, and mannerisms At times this gets so silly it's almost a Monty Python sketch so it comes off really uneven But you'll still laugh yourself silly because of Martin's commitment to such fun lunacy

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/22/23

Full Review

Michael W

This comedy classic was great. Steve Martin, Kathleen Turner, David Warner, and the rest of the cast did a great job in this movie. The plot of the movie was entertaining and humorous. It's a funny sci-fi movie about gold diggers and finding true love. If you haven't seen this classic movie yet. check it out sometime. It's worth watching.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/02/23

Full Review

eric p

Steve Martin rules. Enough said.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

kevin c

Steve Martin plays a world reknowned and innovative brain surgeon who falls for a patient played by Kathleen Turner who turns out to be a manipulative gold digger. To make matters worse he begins to develop feelings for a disembodied brain in a jar. I've watched this many times over the years and it still makes me laugh. It's a pretty silly comedy but it's quite funny as it's right in Martin's early wheelhouse. Directed by Carl Reiner

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Carl Reiner

Director

Steve Martin

Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr

Kathleen Turner

Dolores Benedict

David Warner

Dr. Alfred Necessiter

Paul Benedict

Butler

Richard Brestoff

Dr. Pasteur

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Pauline Kael

New Yorker

Martin makes old routines work by letting us know that they’re old and then doing them immaculately.

Sep 13, 2023

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

This is not a great comedy but it has scenes that don't know that.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Martin's best comedy.

Rated: 5/5

Jun 19, 2003

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

... this comedy drops the wild and crazy humor of Martin’s standup comedy act in a spoof of old Hollywood science fiction films (from Frankenstein” to Donovan’s Brain), femme fatale melodramas, and impossible love stories.

Dec 17, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Steve Martin plays Dr. Hfuhruhurr, Kathleen Turner spoofs her star-making Body Heat role, and the Elevator Killer turns out to be the last person you would suspect. And so it goes in this zany comedy.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 11, 2021

Full Review

Mike McGranaghan

Aisle Seat

Even if this isn't Steve Martin's best role or his best film, it holds up pretty well, offering a glimpse of a comic genius at a wonderfully experimental stage of his career.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 13, 2015

Full Review

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Synopsis

When brilliant brain surgeon Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr (Steve Martin) accidentally hits gold-digger Dolores Benedict (Kathleen Turner) with his car, he takes it upon himself to save her life using his own surgical technique. The two are soon married, but no sooner are the rings on their fingers than the marriage begins to fall apart. While honeymooning in Vienna, Hfuhruhurr is introduced to reclusive scientist Dr. Alfred Necessiter (David Warner), who practices some rather unorthodox procedures.

Director: Carl Reiner
Screenwriter: George Gipe, Steve Martin
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Aspen Film Society
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 1983, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Sound Mix: Stereo

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