#313: Mr. Nanny

Release Date: October 8th, 1993

Format: Streaming (Tubi)

Written by: Michael Gottlieb and Edward Rugoff

Directed by: Michael Gottlieb

2 Stars

Mr. Nanny is one of those movies that’s easy to ridicule. It stars Hulk Hogan - who is a bad actor - in the early stages of his failed transition from professional wrestling to Hollywood. It was also a notorious flop, opening at #12 at the box office, just behind The Fugitive in its 10th week and just ahead of Free Willy in its 13th week. 

And sure, it’s not good. Writer/director Michael Gottlieb (Mannequin) begs, borrows, and steals from better films, like Mr. Mom, Home Alone, and The Addams Family. Unlike those films, though, Mr. Nanny doesn’t have a strong identity. Gottliebe isn’t confident enough to commit to what type of movie he wants to make. Instead, he sets the story in a strange non-reality, with a comic book-worthy villain (David Johansen), and indiscriminately flails between slapstick and crude violence. 

But, but, there is just enough here to at least be interesting. The kernel of the story, where a washed up pro wrestler takes a job as a wealthy family’s bodyguard, only to see the kids’ nanny quit, so then assumes a role as mentor and friend to the children, has real promise. The scenes with Hulk having a tea party and singing a lullaby to the little girl (Madeline Zima) are by far the best ones in Mr. Nanny. They’re sweet, and Hulk’s gentle giant act works well.

In the hands of a better filmmaker, Mr. Nanny might have been more than just a joke.