Short Circuit (1986)

Short Circuit is about a robot, Number 5, that gets hits by a bolt of lightning and comes to life. He has been programmed by Newton Crosby (Steve Guttenberg) for a company called NOVA. NOVA intends to use Number 5 and his counterbots for war. When Number 5 escapes he takes refuge with Stephanie (Ally Sheedy).

Stephanie seems to collects animals like pokemon (gotta catch 'em all). Among the animals she cares for there is a raccoon, an ant farm, a goldfish, and a skunk. When she first sees Number 5 she mistakes him for an alien. "I knew they'd pick me. I just knew," she says. So when she invites Number 5 into her home we understand it's because she's a bit of nuts.

We learn that Stephanie goes through men like toilet paper. There's an awkward relationship between her and Number 5. After Number 5 goes speed reads and learns every encyclopedia in her house she brings him out and teaches him about beauty. She points to the sunset, taking his hand and putting it over her shoulder. Later, Number 5 asks her to dance because he learned it from TV. In the morning he makes her breakfast.


Somewhere there's some really sick fan fiction that is tarnishing my childhood.

There's another unfortunate commentary here with Newton's friend Ben Jabituya (Fisher Stevens). Ben speaks with a thick Indian accent and misuses phrases for comic relief. As a kid I laughed, which means the film taught racism. After all, I used Short Circuit as a social learning tool. I would quote Number 5 (who was quoting TV) out of context. And I would quote Ben, who uses phrases like "it's an opportunity to spread your legs" instead of "stretch."

Watching it now I admire whoever designed Number 5. That individual / team is almost entirely responsible for the character's likability. Large eyes that can move in and out, as well as giant mechanical "eyelids" that tilt down to show anger and tilt up to show happiness and wonder.


How Number 5 learns about our world is what makes the movie feel alive. He learns about death, which he calls "disassemble." Cowering in the back of a van he takes a small empty cardboard box and places it over his head, attempting to hide. "No disassemble Number 5," he pleads, trembling. Later, when he turns on the radio for the first time a song with catchy beat plays. His robotic finger immediately goes to the volume. Number 5 grabs the wheel of the van and sways it to the beat, bobbing his head.

Newton can't accept Number 5 is alive. After all, he's a scientist. Stephanie, Newton and Number 5 drive to the top of a mountain. Newton shows Number 5 a Rorschach test with tomato soup poured on a piece of paper. Number 5 responds as Newton expects as first. "Plant, vegetable, tomato. Water, salt, monosodium glutamate." Number 5 then pauses a moment and says, "Look like... Butterfly. Bird. Maple leaf."


Newton stays up all night trying to disprove what seems impossible. The sun begins to rise. Newton has it. He tells Number 5 a joke and Number 5 starts to laugh. We see a panned out image of the mountain. Newton and Number 5 are nearly indistinguihsable specs amidst a purple, blue and gold heavens. Number 5's laugher echoes.

Eeeeeehheee-hee-hee-heee-heee. Ooohhhhh-hoho-hoho-ho

We know it before Newton says it. Number 5 ... is alive!

This post part of a collaboration project between 2dreviews and 2guys1movie. Jim and Puneet have kindly allowed me to experience their "1 movie + 1 review a day" for one week. Over on my site I do an "Auto-Film-Biography" that follows the movies I watched as a kid that made me love movies. Thanks very much to Jim and Puneet for allowing me to continue that project here for a week as a guest writer!