Sign up
Trailer

Short Circuit

1986Movie1 h 38 minPG

Comedy
61
DecentGoodWatch score
IMDb6.6Letterboxd3.3/5Metacritic506.9Rotten Tomatoes62%67%

A wholesome, nostalgic sci-fi movie about growing up and technology.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Skip it if you want dark or edgy material

Where to watch

Set your services
What's new on Hulu

Fingerprint

Not for scares, brutality or tears.

Movies with

Story

Something wonderful has happened... No. 5 is alive.

After a lightning bolt zaps a robot named Number 5, the lovable machine starts to think he's human and escapes the lab. Hot on his trail is his designer, Newton, who hopes to get to Number 5 before the military does. In the meantime, a spunky animal lover mistakes the robot for an alien and takes him in, teaching her new guest about life on Earth.

Feels like

  • 80s Sci-Fi Comedy
  • Family-Friendly Adventure
  • Sentient Robot
  • Fish-Out-of-Water Story
  • Technological Wonder
  • Wholesome & Humorous
  • Underdog Story
  • Iconic Character
  • Lighthearted Escapism

Cast

16 of 16

Crew

Directed by
John Badham
Written by
Brent Maddock
Produced by
Lawrence Turman, David Foster, Gregg Champion
Music by
David Shire

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

May 9, 1986 · 1 h 38 min · PG

Released
May 9, 1986
Runtime
1 h 38 min
Age rating
PG
Genres
Science Fiction, Comedy, Family
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$10 million
Box office
$41 million
Available in
16 countries

Tropes

Wrong Genre Savvy, Implausible Deniability, Non Sequitur +9

  • Wrong Genre Savvy
  • Implausible Deniability
  • Non Sequitur
  • Parental Bonus
  • Arc Words
  • Brown Face
  • No Sympathy
  • Tranquil Fury
  • Innocent Aliens
  • Robot Names
  • Trampled Underfoot
  • Insistent Terminology

12 of 164 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream Short Circuit?"

Questions about Short Circuit

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Short Circuit?

HuluHoopla

In the United States, Short Circuit streams on Hulu, and it is free with ads on Hoopla. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 4 other countries.

Is Short Circuit worth watching?

61
DecentGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 61 (IMDb 6.6, Letterboxd 3.3 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 62%, and Metacritic 50). Audiences rate it higher (67 out of 100) than critics (56).

Is there a sequel to Short Circuit?

  1. Short Circuit (1986)
  2. Short Circuit 2 (1988)

Yes: it's movie 1 of 2 in its series, followed by Short Circuit 2 (1988).

Is Short Circuit okay for kids?

PG

Yes: it's rated PG in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

Will Short Circuit make me laugh?

Light

Now and then: the humor is mostly situational comedy (7 of 10) and slapstick (6 of 10).

Can I half-watch Short Circuit?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with complexity at only 4 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.

Was Short Circuit a box office hit?

Budget$10 million
Box office$41 million

Yes: it cost about $10 million to make and earned $41 million worldwide, 4.1 times its budget.