*batteries not included

Right now you can watch *batteries not included in Australia on BINGE and Foxtel Now, and in the UK on Now TV Cinema — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 805 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Hume Cronyn's performance alone is worth the time investment. Available now on BINGE — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason *batteries not included keeps coming up in conversation. *batteries not included gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. In a soon to be demolished block of apartments, the residents resist the criminal methods used to force them to leave so a greedy tycoon can build his new skyscraper. When tiny mechanical aliens land for a recharge, they decide to stay and help out. Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1987. What keeps *batteries not included from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in *batteries not included. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Hume Cronyn is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.