Moving Target

Released to TV in 1988, "Moving Target" is a mystery/thriller about a teenager (Jason Bateman) who unexpectedly comes home to California from music camp in Michigan only to find his parents' home deserted, including all the furniture. What happened? Chynna Phillips plays the maybe-girlfriend and the always-reliable Tom Skerritt co-stars as the father.

Being a TV movie, there are obvious breaks for commercials but, other than that, this is a solid drama/thriller, particularly if you like the cast. Everything about the movie screams mid-80 – the electronic drums, the haircuts, the clothes. This in itself is entertaining. Anyway, it's nothing great, but it works for what it is.

The film runs 100 minutes and was shot in S. California.

GRADE: B

It's not a feature film, it's a solid TV so see it that way.

And it's pretty good. Bateman was great, it seemed pretty real.

Very not perfect- no way the Feds would have one agent with this kid to not have attention- that's silly.

Really, it does fall apart in the third act, like so many movies.

But in this case, as a TV movie it works, especially when the lead calls the Feds for help. It does feel like infuriating red tape in a crazy urgent situation.

What this movie does well, it does REALLY well.

The third act thing where the Big Bad does moronic things- yes, that's here in glorious 80's stupid, but hey, it's an 80's flick, ;).

I'm watching a marathon of Jason Bateman movies and I was really pleased with this one. For a made for TV movie, this is one in a million. The plot is concise, the actors are all talented and the movie as a whole really keeps your attention throughout. I really felt the sadness and confusion that Toby's going through over his missing family. I liked the whole "not knowing who to trust" point of view AND there's actually a lot of really good action in this movie. There's car chases, people jumping from buildings, scary hit men. And it seemed like Jason was doing all his own stunts, which were many. Pros: 80's cuties Action Drama Mystery Cons: Actress who plays Mrs. Kellogg seems half asleep. Movie drags on a bit in the middle before getting to the point.

I gave it a 9/10 because it highly exceeded my expectations and I got to stare at 18 y.o. Jason Bateman for 90 minutes :)

The film has a decent enough plot which keeps concentration and is in places interesting and exciting, being a TV film. The reasons behind the main plot is slightly disappointing and the film fails to deliver at intervals, but overall it is a reasonably enjoyable TV movie.

By today's standards, this would be a decent feature.

It's solid and very engaging. Bateman is solid as is Skerrit. It won't stand out as the best of the 80's as a feature, but it does stand out as a strong lesser offering.

All these kids feel very real.

It's not perfect, of course. Jason Bateman does feel a bit old for the rebellious self centered kid he is playing. But, whatever, yes it isn't perfect, but it gets far more right than it gets wrong. The kids he deals with do feel very real, even the one with obvious moral shortcomings. Obvious as an adult, but kids as convincing kids. And this obvious kid with obvious kid failings pays a very real price, which he certainly as a dumb kid does not deserve.