Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Trying to rescue her home planet from destruction, a gorgeous extraterrestrial named Celeste arrives on Earth and begins her scientific research. She woos quirky scientist Dr. Steve Mills, a widower with a young daughter. Before long, Celeste finds herself in love with Steve and her new life on Earth, where she experiences true intimacy for the first time. But when she loses sight of her mission, she begins to question where she belongs.
My Stepmother Is an Alien is a late-80s high-concept comedy that coasts on its charming leads (Kim Basinger and Dan Aykroyd) without doing much original or memorable with its premise. The plot is thin and predictable, hitting familiar fish-out-of-water and rom-com beats without much wit or surprise. Basinger commits entertainingly to the physical comedy, elevating the material somewhat, but the supporting cast is largely wasted. Visually it's competent but unremarkable TV-movie-adjacent cinematography. The concept of a sexy alien learning human customs was already well-trodden by 1988, and this film doesn't bring a distinctive enough voice or execution to stand out. The ending wraps up neatly but without much emotional payoff or cleverness. A watchable but forgettable period piece.