SummaryA bitter ex-husband and a put-upon momma's boy both want their respective former spouse and mother dead. Who will pull it off?
Directed By:Danny DeVito
Written By:Stu Silver
Throw Momma from the Train
Metascore
Mixed or Average
56
User score
Generally Favorable
6.4
My Score
Drag or tap to give a rating
Hover and click to give a rating
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
56
36% Positive
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
50% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
14% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
90
A fun and delightfully venal comedy. Very clever and engaging from beginning to end.
80
Throw Momma is another Hitchcock pastiche or parody, but--taken from Stu Silver's coldly clever, verbally intricate script--it has more depth and humor than usual.
70
Using the distinctive cinematographer Barry Sonnefeld, who shot "Raising Arizona," DeVito gives his comedy a crisp, colorful pop look: you can almost see the broad cartoon outlines drawn around the figures. [14 Dec 1987, p.69]
50
Even at 85 minutes, Throw Momma From the Train seems flabby; it's out of jokes before an hour is up. [11 Dec 1987, p.D5]
50
A surprisingly assured directorial debut that is hampered only by a weak script.
40
Always a spoof rather than a homage, this comedy soon realises there's only so many laughs you can plunder from the heavy premise and the repetitive carriages.
20
Better yet, just throw the whole thing in front of a subway and hope it gets dragged a couple of miles.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.4
43% Positive
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
48% Mixed
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
10% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Jan 25, 2026
7
Danny DeVito's first experiment as a director was, as far as we can see, to pay tribute to Hitchcock. The effort could perhaps have been better; it is funny, but the humour falls short.
Feb 27, 2018
5
I was never a huge fan of this film because (1) Momma was annoying to put up with and (2) I didn't jive with the sort of black comedy that was on display. DeVito wasn't as funny when this film came out as he is today, post-It's Always Sunny.
Production Company:
- Orion Pictures
- Rollins, Morra & Brezner
- Throw Momma
Release Date:Dec 11, 1987
Duration:1 h 28 m
Rating:PG-13
Tagline:Owen asked his friend, Larry, for a small favor...
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 2 Nominations
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Nomination
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
