very good film. don't let the light touch and the cute humor fool you. this film is actually about something more relevant than it appears at first, and especially in the wake (not a pun) of child star Gary Coleman's unfortunate passing. very timely.

i've always thought Michael j Fox was an excellent actor who is capable of both humorous and serious performances. whichever the case he is always good. and despite his small stature, we know in real life he is a great man fighting a really big battle and doing big things. love the actor and the real life man.

getting back to the movie. 'Mikey' on a superficial level seems like overly light family entertainment made to appeal to the crowd that likes "celebrity family films". you know the kind of family fare that features big name stars in modest kid friendly films. movies like Sandler's 'Big Daddy' or Eddie Murphy in something like 'Daddy Day Care'. 'Mikey' is deeper and has more thoughtful subject matter than these films usually have although it doesn't try to be overt or pretentious about it.

the film covers all the bases about child actors in the media. Mikey himself is a former child actor in the film, it shows how the situation can corrupt the kid and make him greedy,it spoofs stage parents and overly precocious kids, it even makes fun of the whole "catch phrase" thing that is often popular in child star sitcoms. and it manages to do it all without becoming too preachy or depressing and cynical.

it's also great to see Cyndi Lauper in a movie role (just about her only one as far as i know). Cyndi looks great and is very likable, cute and charming. it would have been nice to see her offered more roles like Madonna was (Lauper, i always thought, was the more talented musician).

this was a fun movie and it offered genuine insights into kids (and adults for that matter),and it was a film that tells us in it's message to introspect our experiences rather than simply letting them just happen to us or control us. nice film.

Michael J. Fox is ideally cast as former child star who now runs a talent agency for thespian tots; brother Nathan Lane and Cyndi Lauper are his assistants. This all sounds as if it can't miss; unfortunately, too much of the scenario is given over to strident Christina Vidal as a streetwise tyke whom Fox believes will be the next big thing. The two quickly lock horns, while their bantering dialogue courtesy screenwriter Marc Lawrence takes the characters and the picture to an uninteresting, formulaic finish. Most of the cast (especially Lane) is appealing, but the energy of the early scenes gives way to treacle. Slickly-produced but ultimately sitcom-stale. *1/2 from ****

Life With Mikey is essentially about a kid who never grew up. Michael J. Fox plays a child star who unlike the real Michael J. Fox never did much after his television series Life With Mikey finished its run. Now he and his brother Nathan Lane who does have a life away from his job run a talent agency for kid performers. It sure allows him to keep in the company of kids.

Fox and Lane have a pretty ramshackle operation with bigger agencies poaching their clients. Their own good client young David Krumholtz is a holy terror and Lane's about ready to pack it in.

Then one day on the street Fox discovers young Christina Vidal a street smart kid with personality and he signs her. Her home life frankly sucks and she moves in with him.

Even in this day and age the 30 something Fox with a 13 year old Vidal might have raised eyebrows. Easily this film could have gone off in that sordid direction. But nothing like that is remotely happening though Vidal is cramping whatever love life Fox has.

Life With Mikey is a nice entertaining film that launched Christina Vidal who like Fox transitioned into adult roles. After a quarter of a century the film is still enjoyable.

Performances to note also are those of Cyndi Lauper as the Fox/Lane secretary who is a most invaluable employee and David Huddleston as the cookie tycoon who hires Vidal as his cookie spokesperson for commercials. Vidal has some great scenes with him as well.

A most enjoyable and gentle comedy.