Movie Cosmos - Jumpin' Jack Flash

Description:

Terry works for a bank, and uses computers to communicate with clients all over the world. One day, she gets a strange coded message from an unknown source. After decoding the message, Terry becomes embroiled in an espionage ring. People are killed, and Terry is chased. Throughout, she remains in contact with this mysterious person, who needs Terry's help save his life.

Top Cast >

Whoopi Goldberg

As Terry Dolittle

Stephen Collins

As Marty Phillips

John Wood

As Jeremy Talbott

Carol Kane

As Cynthia

Annie Potts

As Liz Carlson

Peter Michael Goetz

As Mr. Page

Roscoe Lee Browne

As Archer Lincoln

Sara Botsford

As Lady Sarah Billings

Jeroen Krabbé

As Mark Van Meter

Vyto Ruginis

As Carl

Jonathan Pryce

As Jack

Tony Hendra

As Hunter

Jon Lovitz

As Doug

Phil Hartman

As Fred

Lynne Marie Stewart

As Karen

Ren Woods

As Jackie

Tracy Reiner

As Page's Secretary

Chino 'Fats' Williams

As Larry

Jim Belushi

As Sperry Repairman

Paxton Whitehead

As Lord Malcolm Billings

June Chadwick

As Gillian

Tracey Ullman

As Fiona

Miguel A. Núñez Jr.

As Street Tough

Garry Marshall

As Police Detective (uncredited)

Michael McKean

As Leslie (uncredited)

Teagan Clive

As Russian Exercise Woman

Top Crew >

Penny Marshall

Director

Chris Thompson

Screenplay

Joel Silver

Producer

David Franzoni

Screenplay, Story

Thomas Newman

Original Music Composer

Matthew F. Leonetti

Director of Photography

Lawrence Gordon

Producer

Mark Goldblatt

Editor

Simone Boisseree

Stunts

Gene Hartline

Stunts

Ralph Garrett

Stunts

John-Clay Scott

Stunts

Tim Gallin

Stunts

Sharon Schaffer

Stunts

Mike Johnson

Stunts

Marcia Holley

Stunts

Angelo Lamonea

Stunts

Greg Wayne Elam

Stunts

Andy Duppin

Stunts

Jadie David

Stunts

Steve Mack

Stunts

Mike Tillman

Stunts

Elaine K. Thompson

Associate Producer

Bennie E. Dobbins

Stunt Coordinator

Robert Grieve

Supervising Sound Editor

Julia L. Walker

Hairstylist

Linda Whittlesey

Sound Editor

Charles Shyer

Screenplay

Garry Marshall

Thanks

Tom Ryba

Special Effects

James L. Brooks

Thanks

Michael Germain

Makeup Artist

Nancy Meyers

Screenplay

Elliot Abbott

Music Supervisor

Richard Marks

Associate Producer

Elliot Lurie

Music Supervisor

Kenneth Wannberg

Music Editor

George Bowers

Associate Producer

James Winburn

Stunts

Susan Becker

Costume Design

Nancy Klopper

Casting

Robert F. Boyle

Production Design

Frank Richwood

Art Direction

Donald J. Remacle

Set Decoration

Daniel Ducovny

Second Unit Director of Photography

Tony Brubaker

Stunts

Walter Scott

Stunts

John R. Leonetti

Assistant Camera

Reviews:

John Chard (6/10)

Are you on some kind of medication?

It was a production beset with problems, a change of director (Penny Marshall replacing the jettisoned Howard Zieff) and enough script writers used to fill out a hockey team. So it's unsurprising to find that Jumpin' Jack Flash is a bit muddled, not fully formed as it were.

Plot finds Whoopi Goldberg as a computer programmer thrust into a world of espionage when a plea for help appears on her monitor. Cue Whoopi following instructions from a guy claiming to be trapped in Eastern Europe, which of course leads to a number of fun scenes as she bluffs her way around the crooked underworld she now finds herself in. Will she stay alive long enough? Who are the undercover guys? Is the mysterious man on the computer screen really all he proclaims to be?

It will all be answered in rank and file 1980s action comedy time, which as it happens is OK here because Goldberg is a good enough comedy actress to hold the attention. Nothing remotely smart or genre defining exists, but it's a fun snapshot of the burgeoning computer age in the 80s and it's a good time waster if stuck for something light to watch one night. 6/10

2019-01-02