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Comedy Cult Classic

An Arizona teen discovers he might be an alien prince in this offbeat hotel-set comedy.

DOIN' TIME ON PLANET EARTH

A story of teenage alienation.

1988 · 1h 25m · PG · Comedy · IMDB TMDB

Eccentric teen, Ryan Richmond lives with his family in a hotel they own in Arizona. He spends his days at school with his best friend, Dan. Stuck without a date for his brother's wedding, Ryan goes to a computer dating service. He's told he might be an alien stuck on Earth along with thousands of others. Soon, an oddball couple - the Pinskys arrive and tell Ryan he's an alien prince meant to lead his brethren home. That's when things get weird...

Quick Answer

What is Doin' Time on Planet Earth about?

Doin' Time on Planet Earth is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Charles Matthau about an eccentric teenager in Arizona who learns he might be an alien prince destined to lead his extraterrestrial brethren home.

Programmer's Pick

Where else can you find a horny teen, a lounge singer, and a beehive of existential alien angst all under one Arizona Holiday Inn roof? Charles Matthau’s debut is a cocktail of suburban misfit comedy and intergalactic identity crisis—with Adam West and a computer dating service thrown in for good measure.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Ryan Richmond, a self-proclaimed oddball teenager, lives with his quirky family in the Holiday Inn they run in Sunnyvale, Arizona—the so-called prune capital of the world. Dreaming of escaping to college in Saudi Arabia, Ryan juggles high school, his eccentric best friend Dan, and a crush on the hotel’s sultry lounge singer, Lisa Winston. When he finds himself without a date for his brother’s wedding, Ryan turns to a computer dating service, only to face bizarre questions hinting at an out-of-this-world twist. Soon, he’s confronted with the absurd possibility that he might, in fact, be an alien stranded on Earth. This off-kilter comedy stirs together coming-of-age awkwardness with a dash of cosmic confusion.

Details & Specs

Director
Charles Matthau
Writers
Darren Star, Andrew Licht, Jeffrey A. Mueller
Release
1988
Runtime
1h 25m
Language
English
Genres
Comedy
Also Known As
Boltsi hukassa, pallo jalassa, Hilfe, ich bin ein Außerirdischer - Ausgeflippte Zeiten auf der Erde, De Passagem Pela Terra, Galeotti sul pianeta Terra

Why This Matters

This 1988 comedy marks an early screenplay by Darren Star, who would later become known for his work in television, and was distributed by Cannon Film Distributors, a company noted for its output of cult and genre films during the 1980s.
— SassyFlix Curator

Why Cult

Arizona Holiday Inn Setting

The entire film unfolds in and around a family-run Holiday Inn in Sunnyvale, Arizona, giving it a unique desert motel vibe.

Alien Identity Crisis

Ryan’s journey from awkward teen to potential alien prince puts a cosmic spin on the familiar coming-of-age formula.

Quirky Family Dynamics

With a cast of parents, siblings, and oddball visitors, the film mines comedy from family relationships and small-town weirdness.

Bizarre Computer Dating

Ryan’s trip to a computer dating service leads to some truly odd questions—like whether he can breathe foreign substances.

Scene Gallery

Questions from the Vault

When was Doin' Time on Planet Earth released? +

Doin' Time on Planet Earth was released in 1988.

Who directed Doin' Time on Planet Earth? +

Charles Matthau directed Doin' Time on Planet Earth.

How long is Doin' Time on Planet Earth? +

The film has a runtime of 85 minutes.

What genre is Doin' Time on Planet Earth? +

Doin' Time on Planet Earth is a comedy.

Where can I watch Doin' Time on Planet Earth? +

Doin' Time on Planet Earth is available to stream on SassyFlix.

Trailers & Clips