D.A.R.Y.L. (1985) User Reviews (57)

Eighties sci-fi fun!

[cosmic_quest · 7/10 · 19 October 2007]

'D.A.R.Y.L.' is an adorable little sci-fi children's film from the Eighties and will certainly conjure feelings of nostalgia in those who watched it as children. The film revolves around ten-year-old Daryl, who is found wandering alone in the wilderness and is fostered by childless couple Joyce and Andy Richardson. He quickly befriends their neighbours' son Turtle and goes from strength-to-strength in his new home. However, it soon becomes apparent that Daryl isn't quite normal. His intellect is vast, he has excellent sporting reflexes and acts in an oddly adult manner. Then, when two military scientists turn up at the Richardsons' home to retrieve him, it turns out Daryl is not a human child but a Data Analysing Robot Youth Lifeform, created in a science lab to serve the military. When the military orders that Daryl be destroyed, the fight to save him and return him to the family home where he was loved is on...

Barret Oliver plays the title character of Daryl, gives an effective performance and nicely depicts his character gradually changing from being odd and awkward to acting like a typical boy of ten. Mary Beth Hurt and Michael McKean, as Joyce and Andy, also give good depictions of foster parents desperate for a child, uncertain about the strange nature of Daryl yet coming to love him as if he were their own. Josef Sommer plays the scientist who begins to question the boundaries of what is considered human once he starts to know Daryl, the robot he created, properly. And Ron Frazier, as General Graycliffe who is intent on seeing Daryl destroyed, depicts his character in a suitably loathsome light!

Besides the nostalgia factor for those in their twenties and early thirties, this film will not only be enjoyable for children of today but, as we live in the computer age, brings up very relevant issues that they can consider such as what being a human means and why blood relations doesn't always matter when it comes to family. Daryl, for younger viewers, is the equivalent of Data from 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' so perhaps making this film a good choice for parents wishing to introduce their young kids to the sci-fi genre.

This is definitely an Eighties kids' classic but also one for all the family.

A classic from the 1980s, one of the few kids movies that manges to be both touching and thoughtful in a mature way

[arahman · 6/10 · 15 February 2007]

As with each decade movies from the 1980s have a very unique style that cannot be fully described in words but to those individuals who grew up in the era it is unmistakable. A true 1980s film is one that evokes hope, that any dream can truly be achieved, that good will always triumph over evil and that feel good cheesy music, colourful baggy shirts and inappropriate sunglasses will put a smile on your face. Whilst the most memorable 1980s pictures focus on comedy, romance and success (e.g. Ghostbusters, Mannequin, Wall Street etc) there are outliers that go in a different direction but still retain the basic heart of this era: the feel good factor. DARYL tells the story of a seemingly abandoned child who is adjusting to a new life with foster parents, the story takes a twist however when it is revealed that he is really an experiment in artificial intelligence. The target audience is primarily kids and family and such spectators are rewarded with all the necessary ingredients that this movie should have. It successfully touches upon the aspects of life that boys would see as fun when growing up and through DARYL the audience can fantasise about driving in high speed car chases, flying planes, being a star sportsman, video games player and being super smart. What more could a kid want in life? The movie remains engrossing throughout despite a slow pace as a result of a very strong performance by the lead character. DARYL is a thoughtful, touching, interesting and entertaining movie that despite being more than 20 years does not really feel dated (the true sign of any classic). For those who grew up in the 1980s movies like DARYL will always have special meaning as they represent an innocence and hope that sadly most of us lose as we grow older and cynicism kicks in. As a standalone sci fi family film DARYL takes itself seriously whilst knowing how to have fun, is thought provoking and delivers an evening of entertaining escapism for the entire family. After more than 20 years there are few family films being released today that can make the same claim.

What it is like to be "different"

[stew-alexander-inbox · 7/10 · 25 February 2015]

This is more than an exploration of a kid with a robot "brain", there's a subtle message here of what it's like being a kid when you're a little different than everyone else.

People treat you oddly, sometimes even fearfully, inquisitively, or with rude insensitivity …so you learn to fit in by acting like everyone else (even though deep down your just like everyone else).

This movie's message is about acceptance of our wunderkinds, our Asperger kids, our Autistic savants and anyone who sees the world a bit differently; underneath it all a kid is still a kid.

As a somewhat inquisitive bookworm when I was young, I could relate with Daryl, as dealing with other kids was always a little awkward; still I wanted the love, friendship & commeratory just like everyone else.

Not a perfect film, but a decent one with high ideals & a nice happy ending.

Charming and original entertainment

[LukeS · 6 January 2000]

DARYL is an enjoyable and thought-provoking kids' film. The central premise is fantastic and high-concept - a rare thing for children's films. Daryl, a military experiment that combines the body and senses of a child with a microchip for a brain, is set free from his creators and settles in mid-America suburbia with a loving adoptive family. The high-jinks that result from an apparently normal ten-year-old who has super-intelligence living in normal surrounds is light, predictable and great fun in patches.

The coup for this movie, however, is the thought-provocation that arises from the evolution of Artificial Intelligence lifeforms to the point when you can no longer tell them apart from humans. This complex issue is dealt with sensitively and thoughtfully in the context of a film not aimed at philosophers or AI scientists (clearly, however, the topic continued to prey on the mind of one of the screenwriters - Ambrose went on to write the excellent novel, Mother of God, which is the "grown-up" heir apparent to DARYL).

The familiar faces of Mary Beth Hurt, Michael McKean and Josef Sommer are ideally cast in the roles of parents and scientist respectively. Equally, the young actors playing Daryl and best-friend Turtle are excellent. The set-pieces fly through with surface levity and implied poignancy in equal measure (how easy it is to dismantle a computer, how difficult when the computer is encased in the flesh and blood of a child). Stagey action scenes and the odd moment of wooden acting from minor support actors are the major blights on the film. Overall, though, it is fun and entertaining.

Feeling Different

[sol- · 7/10 · 24 September 2017]

Found wandering in the wilderness and suffering amnesia, a preteen boy comes to suspect that he is very different to other children his age in this intriguing thriller with a science fiction twist. While the title, promotional artwork and plot summaries (include on the DVD back cover!) spell out the fact that him feeling different is due to being a robot, the filmmakers keep this plot detail deliciously vague during the first half, which in turn becomes an involving tale of an abnormal young person trying to fit in. As others have pointed out, with his quick-learning abilities and lack of social skills, it is easy to see Daryl as metaphorical for someone on the Autism Spectrum and the overall movie has some positive messages as such in terms of acceptance for all. The second half of the film, which is more thrills than mystery-based, is not quite as strong as the first half, but lots of impressive (if improbable) stunts keep things chugging along. The ending certainly feels a little rushed and Marvin Hamlisch's sentimental music score does not always work. In general though, this is an engaging tale along the lines of 'Pinocchio' and 'A.I.' with the idea that all kids are kids even if their minds work differently.

What is Human?

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 23 July 2019]

D.A.R.Y.L. (Data-Analyzing Robot Life Form) is by all accounts a young boy--an extremely gifted and odd young boy, but still a young boy. The military has developed him as a weapon but the scientists working on him see him as more than that. Unlike most A.I. movies or movies about machine consciousness, Daryl (Barret Oliver) is made of organic tissue. Even a doctor cannot tell he's a lab creation without a brain scan.

The movie never goes into how he was created. Was he a test tube baby infused with a computer chip? In other words, was he 100% human with the benefit of some technological advancements? Or was he 100% artificial but of such a quality so as to develop just like a normal little boy and fool even doctors? I'm not sure but I tend to believe the former.

I think the answer to what kind of creation he was helps to answer the main question of the movie: was Daryl human?

D.A.R.Y.L. was really about the computer-age old question of what is human? I think D.A.R.Y.L. challenged that question even more than other movies about conscious machines because he was an organic carbon-based life form. To dispose of him wasn't like disposing of a David (A.I.), or a Vicky (Small Wonder), or a T-800 (Terminator 2) who were all human looking but pure machine underneath the human exterior. Even destroying one of them would be difficult for the human psyche just because of their appearance, so what about a boy who has a beating heart and bleeds like we bleed?

In general, we have a problem destroying/killing anything that has life. It gets harder if that thing has intelligence. It gets exponentially harder if it has consciousness (meaning it knows it's alive and experiences human emotions). And it becomes virtually impossible when a thing has all of the aforementioned and looks human. Daryl had life, intelligence, consciousness, and the anatomy and biology of a human. So, did that one microprocessor in his brain prevent him from being considered human? That was an issue wrestled with between scientists in the movie, but I'm willing to bet that every viewer was saying: "He's a little boy! You can't kill him!"

Did we have the same sentiment for David (Haley Joel Osment) in A.I.? I know I did. Going even further away from humanness, did we have the same sentiment for Chappie (Chappie) or Johnny 5 (Short Circuit)? I know I did. It's something about a thing that experiences love, hate, fear, and other emotions--as well as being innocent--that draws us to preserving it. I mean shoot, how many of us feared the toys would die near the end of Toy Story 3? Anything given human emotions we have a soft spot for. Unless they're trying to kill us.

I love the robot consciousness movies even if I don't consider D.A.R.Y.L. amongst them. Daryl was special and I would simply consider him upgraded but no doubt human.

Definitely has some to offer

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 6/10 · 6 April 2008]

This is something as rare as a film that while mainly(and plainly) aimed at children, to a remarkable degree avoids insulting anyone not of that age. The plot isn't bad, and moves this along nicely. The pacing is reasonable. The acting varies, but Oliver... can someone please explain to me why he never got more of a career? I've yet to see him suck. McKean is both good and likable. The special effects, while some are outdated, are actually pretty good. The sci-fi elements do hold some interesting points, and are handled well, not too simplified. The sense of humor certainly has its moments. Direction can be great. Editing is usually positive, and it has some rather effective parts. Cinematography is fine. For a kid's movie, there is a bit of language. There is also some violence, and a handful of mature references. This does bear some marks of being for little ones, if not many. Music is OK. As has been pointed out, this is a solid choice for the whole family. I recommend this to young 'uns, their parents and their siblings... as long as they're all open to science fiction. 6/10

DARYL is actually a Cyborg not a robot

[pwat5607 · 5/10 · 21 December 2004]

During the movie Dr. Stewart made a comment to Joyce, Andy and Turtle that DARYL was conceived in a test-tube and that only his brain is a computer while the rest of him is human. Also while conception is possible in a "testtube" DARYL still would need a surrogate mother in order for him grow into an infant. Also was Dr Stewart the sperm doner? That would make him a cyborg not a robot. However, my problem with this is that this would mean that his human brain would have had to been surgically removed after birth and a computerized brain put in its place. His computer brain size would have to be extremely small to be placed in an infants skull. Also as DARYL grew from an infant to a pre-adolescent child his computer brain would have to had been changed to a accommodate his growing skull. Unless of course the scientist working on this government project waited until DARYL became a pre-adolescent child before removing his human brain and replacing it with a computer brain. I enjoyed this movie but it lacked an explanation as to when and how his computer brain was placed in his skull.

Under rated 80s classic children's film

[theycallmemrglass · 8/10 · 28 March 2008]

I cant help feeling that Daryl could well have been a young Jason Bourne. Synopsis: A military experiment lab loses its super enhanced human subject to the outside world who is now suffering from amnesia while the military hunts him down. Sounds familiar? Daryl got there first but thinking about it, there is no reason why the Bourne trilogy cannot be seen as unofficial sequels to Daryl. But enough of that. I remember loving this film when I first saw it 20 years ago so when I watched it again I expected to find it dated and perhaps much of the magic gone. The opposite happened. I was spellbound. It is somewhat dated but that simply adds to the charm as the 80s was the epitome of childhood innocence, wonder and mischief before the internet age came along. What elevates this film above most children's films is the abundance of heart, soul and values of friendship. All the actors play their part with natural aplomb and it has to be said that Barrat who plays the boy robot with human emotions, was played to perfection. Mckean plays the foster father delightfully (although has a frightening resemblance to ex UK Prime Minister Tony Blair). The film is sprinkled with humour throughout particularly with Turtle teaching Daryl how to behave and how to deal with adults! There is no action in the first three quarters of the movie (apart from a brief car chase at the start). Instead we are invested in the characters and relationships so that we truly care about them by the time the thrilling final act kicks into gear. And boy, is the last act so exciting, with perhaps the best car chase I have seen in any children's film and a climactic action finale that I can only conclude Die Hard 2 stole from! Daryl is an under rated 80s classic.

Great Story, Worth Watching, but....

[srmccarthy · 7/10 · 26 October 2017]

This is a very good movie, despite the extremely bad acting! It has Barrett Oliver (Never Ending Story) and Danny Corkill (Without A Trace). In my opinion, this movie was the inspiration for Artificial Intelligence. I recommend watching this movie, because of the extremely great story. Just overlook the bad acting (it's not hard to do).

The movie is about a robot in a boy's body. He is misunderstood by his creators, who believe him just to be a mechanical being, not capable of the will to live, to have the ability to love, or feelings and emotions. But, he does have all these traits, and you will come to care about him. (now doesn't that sound like A.I. to you?)

SPOILER ALERT:

What makes this movie's peak of emotions is the ending, where the song 'Somewhere I Belong' by Teddy Pendergrass is played. Give it a chance, you won't regret it!

DARYL's future

[lituppup · 5/10 · 16 December 2005]

OK so at the end the doctor repairs DARYL and he runs home. The premise is that he cannot die, because his brain is computerized. Did anyone else find it to be disturbing that since his mind will long outlive his body, his brain will be functioning long after he is in the grave. He is doomed to spend eternity or as long as his computer brain functions condemned to a solitary existence. I guess he is lucky he has no soul. This movie is actually messed up. Also whatever happened to that 1.2 million dollars that DARYL heisted from the bank and put in his dad's account. Did'nt anyone ever notice that 1.2 million was all of the sudden in his account?

A Real Person - What It Means To Be Human

[nordic2004 · 10/10 · 3 April 2007]

For me, there is simply nothing not to like about this film. It is well scripted, the parts fit together seamlessly and logically, and everything is justly proportioned--that is, everything's in good balance.

And the best part of it is that the acting is never overdone. The main characters are really human and believable, and Barret Oliver's acting is totally natural and spontaneous.

So even though one has to suspend disbelief in the science fiction impossibility of the story (a mere machine could never actually become a human brain), it's really worth doing so, just for the fun of it.

Just accept the basic premise of the plot for the sake of the story, and then relax and enjoy a heart-warming display of what are real human values in a world where these are sometimes sadly lacking, and a thought-provoking consideration of what it means to be 'a real person.'

'A.I.' falls short to this

[FilmStalker · 6/10 · 6 April 2004]

There are tons of Spielberg fans out there that remain loyal to him even after his long list of recent trash flicks. Amongst them was 'AI.' 'D.A.R.Y.L.' proves to be one of those movies that shows that the eighties might have actually had more thought process than today. In this do not trust the government movie, Barret Oliver plays a young boy who actually is a robot. The military, who couldn't figure out why they wanted little children robots in the first place, decide to scrap Daryl. Daryl. however, has been foster cared and has no memory of his past. While Barret Oliver's Daryl can't approach the level of success of Peter Billingsley in 'The Dirt Bike Kid.' He manages to play his role with a sympathy that Spielberg just can't get out of people who follow his storyboards. For all those who think that I just utterly hate Spielberg, I do rate 'A.I.' slightly ahead of the tv program 'Small Wonder. '

Lightly charming but dull

[stills-6 · 5/10 · 2 October 1999]

There's a heart in this kid's movie somewhere despite the dragging script and the cheeky performances. I liked the premise more than the execution of it. I was impressed by the conclusion - it showed some intelligence and ingenuity that wasn't present throughout most of the movie.

It's even good.

[afonsobritofalves · 21 October 2018]

Although the script of the film is somewhat incomplete and there are some parts of the film that could be improved; I even found the film quite good, with good actors, good special effects and the history of the film is quite original. Of course it's not the best movie ever (it's a long way from being), but I still liked the movie anyway. Highly recommend.

Not great, but good and weirdly stuck in my head

[bgaiv · 7/10 · 21 September 2020]

Very 80s.

Is just weird to me, I watched this one 35 years ago and so many things stuck in my head.

The roadblock followed by ANOTHER road block where the old dude is shot.

DARYL telling the old man that if he were older, he could have become a doctor and could help.

The female scientist saying that a machine becomes human when you can no longer tell the difference.

It's certainly not great, and has the cliches of the military being idiots. Swarming the building with the army to capture DARYL? Obviously this would be a matter more for the FBI or whatever. Etc.

A Decent Unassuming Robot Movie For the Family

[tabuno · 7/10 · 15 January 2019]

27 December 2014. Folded in between Matthew Broderik's 1983 WarGames classic and his 1987 Project X, this cute sci fi family movie about a robot designed as a human boy offers up an assuming little movie that is entertaining as well as sad and happy. With very few thrills, except for a rather over the top freeway car chase, this G-rated version of A. I. (2001) focuses more on the family and its relationships than on the more esoteric machinations of science. The storyline is pretty straightforward, though the emotive heart isn't as strong as A. I. or the intense stakes are has prevalent as in WarGames or Project X. What's nice about this movie is its ordinariness but it is also its weakness. The soundtrack by Oscar and Golden Globe winner and nominee isn't consistently well done or with much presence.

Delightful Adventure

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 26 May 2023]

A man drives a car with a boy dangerously through a narrow mountain road chased by a helicopter. He leaves the boy near the woods and continues driving until he commits suicide, driving the car off a cliff and falling in a river. An elderly couple finds the boy and delivers him to an orphanage in Barkenton. The doctor examines Daryl (Barret Oliver) and realizes that he has partial amnesia, but is healthy. The director Howie Fox (Steve Ryan) offers his friends Andy Richardson (Michael McKean) and Joyce Richardson (Mary Beth Hurt), who are in the waiting list to adopt a child, to foster Daryl until their parents are located. Daryl shows a great intelligence and befriends Turtle Fox (Danny Corkill), who becomes his best friend, and his sister Sherie Lee Fox (Amy Linker) and their mother Elaine Fox (Colleen Camp). Daryl is loved by his foster family and friends, but out of the blue, his real parents Dr. Jeffrey Stewart (Josef Sommer) and Ellen Lamb (Kathryn Walker) arrive in Barkenton to bring their son back home. Daryl returns to a laboratory where his memory is reactivated and he learns that he is a prototype of biological experiment with artificial intelligence and D. A. R. Y. L. Is indeed an acronym for "Data-Analyzing Robot Youth Lifeform". When General Graycliffe (Ron Frazier) learns what happened to Daryl, he orders to abort the project and destroy the prototype.

"D. A. R. Y. L." is a delightful adventure from the 80's and a magnificent family entertainment. The story of a boy that has an artificial intelligence instead of brain is engaging and amusing, despite the reviews of professional critics. The chemistry of the cast is one of the best parts of this underrated film. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "D. A. R. Y. L."

D.A.R.Y.L. Blows the Big One!

[jrichard-3 · 4/10 · 6 July 2002]

D.A.R.Y.L. blows the big one, if you know what I mean! This movie attempted at what Spielberg's Artificial Intelligence achieved. You can chalk this one up as an absolute cheeseball. I almost gave up on it after the nauseating Ballgame scenes, but I became a little more interested when the plot picked up after Daryl is taken away by the government scientists. Stick around for a pretty decent cop chase but I doubt you'll make it that far!

Underrated classic

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 10 November 2010]

I love this film and feel it is an underrated classic. Although I am a 90s kid, I am very fond of the movies of the 80s, Amadeus, Clue, Back to the Future, Indianna Jones, Beetle Juice, ET, Annie, Secret of NIMH, NeverEnding Story, Stand By Me, Legend, Princess Bride and Who Framed Roger Rabbit to name a few. D.A.R.Y.L has very nice cinematography, colourful sets and costumes without being too fancy and good special effects, while the soundtrack is cool. I liked the script too, it was funny and heart-warming and the story was engaging and poignant as well as briskly paced. The direction I had no problem with either, while the acting is fine especially with Barrett Oliver who is simply wonderful in the lead. Overall, I think D.A.R.Y.L is a classic, and one of the most underrated films of the 80s if not ever. 10/10 Bethany Cox

What's a hooker?

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 3 June 2016]

Mulligan drives Daryl while being chased by a helicopter. Daryl is released into the woods and found by an elderly couple. Mulligan drives his car over a cliff. Daryl is given to children's services. Childless couple Joyce (Mary Beth Hurt) and Andy Richardson (Michael McKean) become his foster parents. Turtle Fox and his family are their neighbor friends. Daryl has amnesia but he seems to have special abilities especially with computers.

I love Daryl and I love Turtle. It's a fun family movie. It's dripping with 80's nostalgia. This is somewhat a Pinocchio story. Daryl is trying to figure out how to be a boy. It's a new spin on the story. I would definitely love to see a remake with a better cinematic sense and style. The second half takes place at the lab and then escaping from the lab. It drags a bit at times. It gets darker and less fun. It becomes less believable. This movie has flaws but it's still good.

Sentimental suburban nonsense, but actually not that bad a film

[tomgillespie2002 · 5/10 · 28 September 2011]

When a car crashes off the edge of a cliff, an elderly couple pick up a smartly-dressed young boy named Daryl (Barret Oliver). When no-one claims him, he is left in the care of cutesy, middle-class suburban couple Joyce (Mary Beth Hurt) and Andy Richardson (Michael McKean), who foster him and look after him as if he were their own. Daryl also befriends the obligatory smart-mouthed ginger kid Turtle (Danny Corkill), who realises just how smart Daryl is. Daryl exceeds in everything, including baseball and video games, much to the confusion of his new family. But when he is claimed by his real 'parents', he is taken back to a research lab where his true identity is revealed.

This was another one of those films that somehow made it onto my video shelf when I was young. I don't recall how it got there or who bought it for me, but it was there, and therefore earns its place in the Childhood Memories Project. It came flooding back to me when I re-watched it. But I also remember that, as a child, I could only make it through the first hour, and that I always got too bored to watch the entire film. Well maybe I was a silly child with the attention span of an ant, but in all honesty, this film is a bit of a bore. And a sickening one at that.

D.A.R.Y.L. is so American and so suburban, I felt like I was being wrapped up in blankets and fed ice-cream until I was vomiting in all directions. Everything is just so idyllic and perfect - the eternal brown autumn leaves, the large multi-bedroomed white houses, the perfect best-friend couple, the father who trained Little League - I couldn't believe it when Steve Martin didn't pop out wearing a checked shirt neatly tucked into his jeans. It looks like a wonderful place to live, but the fact that it doesn't f*****g exist just got on my nerves. It's escapist cinema at its most subliminal - American family films do it so matter-of-factly that we just accept it.

Anywho, the film itself isn't actually that bad. American family drama of the 80's seemed very much fascinated with science-fiction elements (a la Flight of the Navigator) blended into the family drama. It's actually quite nice to see what is really a children's film put so much emphasis on drama. Maybe it's because I see so much w**k vomited up for the young 'uns these days that can't go two minutes without having a CGI spunk stain (to quote Marc) spattered across the screen, or having some vile, X-Factor inspired 'song' blurted out by some mop-haired, talentless t**t such as Justin Bieber. I'm getting off the film again, sorry.

It's not as boring as I remember, nor is it all that good. And although it all goes a little Flight of the Navigator at the end, it remains entertaining throughout. It's like a superior TV movie with a slightly better budget than normal. It is sentimental, soppy, and full of middle- class bulls**t, but it's also funny, and quite involving.

www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

One of my fav films growing up.

[OliverGbyrne · 8/10 · 23 June 2015]

This film is a nostalgia fest for me. Am I being a bit selfish to review a film when I am so connected to it , perhaps so I will try to put my love for the film aside and review it for what it is. This film is part of what I would call the Amblin generation of films (although it is not an Amblin film) because it came out in a decade full of wonderful family films (Goonies,Gremlins,Cocoon,Neverending story etc..) . It was a time when adults could watch a so called kids film and enjoy it as much as their rugrats. D.A.R.Y.L is a family drama with a dash of Sci-Fy , it is two film in one.A heart warming film for the first half and a children Sci Fy thriller in it's second half.These two different style works surprisingly well here. There is something so welcoming about the first half when young D.A.R.Y.L superbly played by child actor Barret Oliver is found in the middle of the wood and put into foster care as a test drive for a couple who desperately want to adopt a child. Here he meet his first friend , potty mouthed Turtle (Yeah he his called Turtle) and learn valuable lessons about how to relate to adults (The kid does not know a thing about being a son) There is just something so incredibly warm and fuzzy about the first half of the movie that makes it the perfect choice for a rainy Sunday afternoon.There is that 80's charm.It is also nice to basically watch a family that enjoy the little thing in life like baseball , Ice cream etc..The suburban setting his welcoming and the 80's vibe will bring as much memories to 80's kids as lets say "The Andy Griffith Show" does for children of the 50's. It was a simpler time and this film shows that. Barret Oliver as D.A.R.Y.L is a great main character , he his curious , oddly different and curiously smart...way too smart. The second half reveal something is different about D.A.R.Y.L and that is when the Sci-Fy elements kicks in. I am not going to say what it is just in case the person who is reading this know nothing about this film (The cover of the DVD reveals way too much unfortunately). This film is a great film for the all family.If you feel to escape the grim reality of life lol you could do far worse then putting this charming film on! I give D.A.R.Y.L a 8 out of 10.

Not the best movie ever, but addresses an important moral issue.

[jal-2 · 7/10 · 9 January 2000]

I've seen this movie a couple of times, first in the late 80s, the latest time just yesterday. Although its overall feeling is that of a typical Disney-esque family movie, it addresses an important moral issue about artificial intelligence, and when a machine stops being a machine and becomes human. Luckily these issues needn't be addressed today, but maybe some day they will be important. And face it - it's much nicer watching Daryl dealing with emotions and being human than, say, Cmdr. Data on the Enterprise...

This is why making movies is hard

[name99-92-545389 · 4/10 · 2 January 2024]

Technically this movie is flawless. Fine acting, extremely good pacing, does a great job of setting up the emotions.

It has everything in place to be a movie like Flipped, or even My Girl.

EXCEPT there is a fatal flaw in the basic conception of the movie!

We want the kid to be special. OK, many options there. Magic could be involved. Or aliens. Being an exceptionally gifted kid. Or simply a nod to something never really explained, like Hearts in Atlantis.

But of all these options, the writers make the lamest of all choices - army-directed technobabble! So instead of suspending disbelief, our noses are rubbed in just how ridiculous (and cliched, OMG how damn cliched) the plot is. The movie should have been about family, acceptance, friendship, just how strange and magical childhood is. And it was all those things, right up to the idiotic reveal. At which point it became a subpar boring rant about the Military-Industrial Complex, ho hum, and the magic never returned - I mean, how could it?

Would Mermaids have been a great film if we'd learn halfway through that Wynona Ryder was secretly a genetic experiment by the CIA and that's why she kept having paranoid religious fantasies? The very idea reveals the stupidity of the suggestion!

Can you make a great Military-Industrial Complex movie with kids? Sure, that's The Terminator. But The Terminator doesn't spend 50 minutes pretending to be movie about childhood and friendship before bizarrely changing direction...