Where's Willie? (1978) Movie Review Movie Review

Where's Willie? (1978)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Marc Gilpin in Where's Willie? (1978)

Willie Wade and his W-Pad

Sheriff Charlie Wade (Henry Darrow - Soda Springs) grew up playing sports and doing things like shooting rifles, all the things he would like to enjoy doing with his son Willie (Marc Gilpin). But whilst Willie can handle a gun he would rather be tinkering with electronics and building computers, a hobby which constantly sees him getting in to trouble when ever he tries to use his talents to do some good. So when Willie builds a computer which can control everything in town he inevitably causes chaos in doing so, leading to him running away from home due to the trouble he causes.

Thinking back to 1978 I would have to say that I would have just been a little too young to enjoy "Where's Willie?" but by 1983 I would have probably been too old to enjoy it. You see with a storyline about a child genius who invents a gadget which can control all electrical devices from traffic lights to school wall clocks, it is a movie with a sweet spot when it comes to what age group would have enjoyed it. I say would have because I doubt young audiences now would find "Where's Willie?" that entertaining, in fact I reckon this movie's appeal is for those who grew up where it was made or remember it from back in 1978, although I doubt they will find it that nostalgically entertaining.

The thing is that there isn't much more needed to be said about "Where's Willie?" other than to say that the writing, the acting and the fun is all pretty basic at best. As such the only other thing I need to say is Willie played by Marc Gilpin who for those who recognize names is the brother of Peri Gilpin who was Roz Doyle in "Frasier".

What this all boils down to is that "Where's Willie?" is a movie with a very limited appeal and now is the sort of movie you watch out of curiosity to see what it is rather than to be entertained.


LATEST REVIEWS