Mr. Mom

Michael Keaton is at his comic best in John Hughes' entertaining role reversal comedy. When Jack Butler's wife decides to go back to work after he loses his job, Jack is left holding the baby - literally. But he's pretty useless as a mum, finding soap operas, food and the woman next door more attractive than housework. With Caroline fighting off her boss's advances, the couple's marriage seems to be in trouble. Can their relationship survive? There are lots of laughs along the way as they sort out the way forward - will Jack stay as Mr Mom, or will Caroline return to the kitchen sink?, Jack Butler (Michael Keaton) is a Detroit automobile engineer unjustly fired by his boss. Jack's wife Caroline (Teri Garr) is compelled to get a job to make ends meet, and is soon hired on as an advertising executive in a firm run by the shifty Ron Richardson (Martin Mull). This leaves Jack at home doing the housework and taking care of the kids, which he discovers is a lot more complicated than he ever imagined. Moving from breadwinner to househusband doesn't do much for his self-esteem, and he bides his time playing poker for coupons with a gaggle of neighborhood housewifes and pondering infidelity with dedicated homewrecker Joan (Ann Jillian). Among Keaton's fish-out-of-water bits: trying to maneuver a shopping cart with the inevitable wobbly wheels; and imagining a soap opera/film-noir episode in which he gives in to Joan's advances, only to be found out by Caroline.