Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986) Online

In my humble opinion at 5.3 this movie is horribly underrated it's a fun, colourful, exciting hour and a half of a movie. Whoopi Goldberg plays the quirky and livewire Terri Doolitle a low level bank employee who gets involved in a dangerous spy game involving the CIA, British Secret Service and the KGB (made in the 80's the cold war was still in full swing).

Contacted via her computer (the computer geeks out there will love seeing this earlier version of the internet) by a secret agent codename 'Jumping Jack Flash' (Jonathan Pryce) Terri must use her street smarts and attitude to save the day against rogue agents, KGB the police and while not being fired from her own job.

The only drawback to this movie is it is quite profane those adverse to the occasional swear word should probably steer clear. It's similar in the level of language used to Beverley Hills Cop, so probably not one for the small kids. But fun for everyone else.

7/10 - Good honest fun probably Whoopi Goldbergs funniest movie and certainly no Sister Act thank god!!!

Jumping Jack Flash has come in for some surprisingly negative opinions over the years. A lot of people consider it a black mark on Whoopi Goldberg's career. Although it does suffer from a few flaws, its quite watchable, it moves at a fair lick, and is in no way the turkey its often accused of being. Its nowhere near as bad as Theodore Rex. Now that was a turkey!

After making her debut in The Colour Purple, Jumping Jack Flash was Whoopi Goldberg's first proper starring role, and a chance to flex her muscles as an actress. And she's up to the task. Some of the plot points of JJF don't always ring true, but its a testament to Whoopi's charm and magnetism that she turns an occasionally ludicrous adventure into a fairly entertaining comedy-thriller.

Terry Dolittle (Whoopi) works a computer at a New York bank. Bored of such a hum-drum life, she finally gets a wake-up call from someone who taps into her computer. Someone called Jumping Jack Flash. Jack is in serious trouble. A British agent trapped in Russia, he needs help from Terry. The British Consulate won't acknowledge him, and he needs Terry to run errands for him. Everything from rooting out possible exit contacts on the back of frying pans to breaking into the Consulate itself and accessing their computers. All the while the situation gets more and more murkier, things go from one dangerous extreme to the next, and Terry and Jack's lives are both endangered.

Although a lot of people have an astonishing hatred of this film, I can't say the same. I think JJF is great fun, with a twisty screenplay right out of a Kafka novel. It wouldn't be half as fun without Whoopi Goldberg at the helm, but its thanks to her dynamic energy the film's momentum is kept as steady as it is.

The film pretty much rests on Whoopi's shoulders. And she does a great job. Delivering the laughs when they're needed, but also establishing a genuine fearful feeling when she gets in over her head. I especially liked the scenes of her conversing with Jack (Jonathan Pryce). There is real poignancy for Jack's situation, because it feels like Terry is the only friend he has.

There is quite an exceptional cast too. Granted they tend to get reduced to mere minutes in the spotlight, but because there is such a large gallery of famous faces, they leave a lasting impression. Look out for the late Phil Hartman, Annie Potts from Ghostbusters, James Belushi, Tracy Ullman and even Carol Kane. One thing that surprised me about JJF is there are quite a few actors from This Is Spinal Tap in the film. So keep your eyes peeled for Michael McKean, June Chadwick and Tony Hendra.

Penny Marshall made her debut as director here, and she does quite a fine job. She does sometimes overplay her hand, where the film tips over from genuine suspense to overblown farce. Such as the scenes of Whoopi Goldberg's dress caught in a paper shredder, being dragged along the streets of New York in a phone box, or wandering into Elizabeth Arden doped up on truth serum, but for the most part Marshall knows what she's doing. She's not as successful here as she was in her next film Big, her single finest hour, but JJF is still a lot of fun.

The ending has genuine nerve jangling tension and equal parts pathos. Her near death at the British Consulate is exciting, although her escape from a police car is contrived. There's no way Terry wouldn't be handcuffed, and I don't know why there wasn't a grille separating the back seats from the front. But the final shootout at the bank is good. And the scene where Terry finally meets Jack is touching too.

Jumping Jack Flash sometimes moves in fits and starts, but Penny Marshall's direction is assured at most of the right moments. Whoopi Goldberg hits a lot of the right notes, and its also a film that was ahead of its time in addressing the E-Mail system.

So give Jumping Jack Flash a chance. If not for the film, than at least for the scene where Terry goes through the song for Jack's code-key. Worth the price of admission alone!

A bank's clerk is humorously involved in international espionage when her computer terminal picks up words sent by electronic mail from a Brit spy trapped into Iron Curtain. The events break her monotony life and boring employment.

The film packs comedy, suspense, tongue in check and lots of amusement. There are still some hilarious pieces, notably the comic tryings to decipher the lyrics to the film title song by famous Rolling Stones, when her dress get caught in a shredder, Whoopi singing at the British Embassy by impersonating Diane Ross and when she's dragged by a tow truck, among others. The picture is a Woopi Goldberg recital, she plays a wacky, foul-mouthed, and wisecracking spinster with no check. This is her first big success in comedy genre, after his known drama 'Purple color' by Steven Spielberg. Abundant secondaries and cameos by noted actors, such as Jim Belushi, Annie Potts, John Wood, Jeroan Krabbe, Roscoe Lee Browne, Sara Bostford, John Lovitz, Phil Hartman, among them. Agreeable musical score, though with abuse synthesizer by Thomas Newman . The motion picture is middling directed by Penny Marshall, in his film debut, but she was unable to control the star's excesses. Later Marshall achieved numerous hits as producer, actress and director, such as 'Renaissance man, Preacher's wife, Awakenings, A league of their own and Big'.

"Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a very funny comedy-thriller starring comedienne and current "Hollywood Squares" star Whoopi Goldberg in the movie she made after her outstanding performance in "The Color Purple". This was her first big comedy and she's terrific in it. Goldberg stars as Terry Doolittle, a computer operator at a New York bank. At the end of a long day of work, she gets an awkward message from a British spy who's in trouble. As a result she gets plunged into a world of international intrigue and danger. Sure the premise of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is silly. But it's an entertaining movie, thanks to Goldberg's performance. She's the whole show here. One of the best moments in the film is the one when the spy asks her to "sing with me and find the key", and she listens to the lyrics of the Mick Jagger song "Jumpin' Jack Flash" so she can find the word or words to crack the spy's code. This scene is a classic. Just get a load of the way Goldberg acts in this scene. It's hilarious. This scene proves that Goldberg is a great comic actress. There's also the scene where, after almost getting killed, Goldberg confronts a police detective played by "Pretty Woman" and "Runaway Bride" director Garry Marshall (who oddly enough is the brother of the director of this film, former "Laverne & Shirley" star Penny Marshall making her directorial debut here). Get a load of the foul language displayed by Goldberg in this scene. I was laughing hysterically out loud. There are also action scenes that really aren't necessary, but they're exciting and thrilling. And there are good supporting performances by Stephen Collins, Carol Kane, John Wood, Annie Potts, Roscoe Lee Browne, Jim Belushi, Jon Lovitz, and the late Phil Hartman. But the real star here is Whoopi. She alone makes "Jumpin' Jack Flash" worth seeing. And it's far better that Whoopi's next two movies after this: "Burglar" and "Fatal Beauty".

*** (out of four)

The essence of a great film is that it makes us laugh each time we watch it and this film certainly fits this criteria .

Whoopie Goldberg's star quality shines through as she carries scenes along mainly by herself as she supposedly communicates with an unseen man-in- trouble .

The film has some superbly memorable lines and just fulfils our deepest wishes that one day we will be whisked into a glamorous world of intrigue and espionage.

The end scene in the restaurant shows Whoopie's versatility and has us in tears for her.

She does not need swearing though to carry her talents . She can act with her face as well as her script . The rest of the cast perform admirably and this is one to watch time and time again .

There aren't not that many female directors around and Penny Marshall is one of the few who scored some hits with her movies in the eighties ("She's having a baby", "The hard way") and of course "Jumpin' Jack Flash", one of those delicious comedies from the eighties that aren't dated, and that aren't silly. Whoopi Goldberg who was a bit the hot "strange" spot from Hollywood since her appearance in "The color purple" did some nice comedies from which this one must be one of the finest. She plays the role of Teresa aka Terry, a weirdo who is obsessed by movies and books, and during daytime she spend eight hours in a bank behind a computer (a must for pcfreaks to see how dated they are!!!). Her hilarious boss Mr James Page (Peter Michael Goetz) forbids her to chat, she obeys till Jumpin Jack Flash knocks. She can't resist the power not to respond and soon she discovers that Jumpin Jack Flash is a CIA-agent who is somewhere in East Europe (it was still a cold war) and he begs him to help. Sooner as Teresa thinks she has become a target from the KGB as well and as you can guess she ends up in dangerous hilarious situations (or are you kidnapped any day in a phone booth?). Absolutely do not to try to understand the plot, there isn't one and if there should be some it has no meaning...it's just a CIA-agent who runs for the KGB, that's all but that's not the reason why you should watch this, it's just to see a fine comedy that stands for 90 minutes of entertainment.

Undercooked, but ribald, enjoyable espionage-themed comedy about a computer programmer for a national bank in New York City who gets her own "Mission: Impossible" when a government agent taps into her system. Whoopi Goldberg really has no character to play here, so she wings it; tossing off one-liners and impersonations, she's a stitch, a true original. The production designer has decorated Whoopi's pad with offbeat movie posters, memorabilia and over-sized toys, but couldn't do much with the rest of this scenario, which dog-paddles along until we get to the predictable (though satisfying) conclusion. Some of the supporting characters (like Jim Belushi's mysterious heavy or Annie Potts' wife of a secret agent) come, go, and vanish completely, and the flick is held together with the barest minimum of tape. Still, it's a lot of fun anyway, which is completely due to Goldberg's sass. *** from ****

I have to admit to liking this film. I'm not sure or not how well it did on its release. I don't think there are any spoilers in revealing that Whoopi plays a computer genius who is contacted by a guy who needs her help (since it says so on the back of the DVD!). So as well as a comedy, there are some thrills thrown in as well.

It's well written, with some pretty obvious stuff in there, but it makes it kind of fun. Whoopi Goldberg puts in a good performance. Today it's fun to watch because the computers are SO out of date and because at one point Whoopi hits about 40 keyboard keys to type the work 'Hi"! Just listen to the sound of the keys. Whoopi's a good actress and comedian, but she's no typist - at least by the evidence here. And it's good to see Carol Kane and Stephen Collins, who both look about 12.

There are some fabulous continuity errors as well for anyone looking for them - in the scene in the police station, not only does the blanket Whoopi's wearing change places from scene to scene, so does her collar.

If you want a fun film that won't stretch your brain, this is well worth a look. Ingmar Bergman it isn't, but it's a nice feel good movie for those times when you just want to sit down and turn your brain off it's great. And if you want to know what computers used to look like and why you practically needed a second mortgage for somewhere to store them look no further.

If you like Whoopie, you'll love this movie, full of fun and action. The stunts are wonderful and of course, Whoopie is delightfully funny. Recommend highly for a night of fun and laughs. Id give it a 10 star.

28 July 2009. At times Whoopi Godberg goes too far and becomes weird and at other times brings her own unique, frolicking fresh comedy that outshines most traditional comic gaps. Sometimes the plot is convoluted from logical belief and at other times grips with a sizzling suspenseful twist. This movie is a mixed bag, but has a nice espionage storyline that holds up well especially considering this is an early mix of both serious spy drama with comic humor, a usually impossibly difficult blend to get right. There are some old new young faces here. The main plot point of rarely actually seeing one of the main characters is intriguing and unique to this movie, one of its claim of fame. Repeated viewing isn't recommended very often, as part of the compelling nature of this movie is its mystery action theme which gets somewhat old and helps to keep the movie going along with the usually balance drama-comic high points.

Plot: Terry works for a bank, and uses computers to communicate with clients all over the world. One day she gets a coded message from an unknown source. After decoding the message, Terry becomes embroiled in an espionage ring. People are killed, and Terry is chased. Throughout she remains in contact with this unknown person, who needs Terry to help save his life.

This is easily my favorite Whoopi Goldberg film, it has the best story that is very interesting and very well told by director Penny Marshall. Each character is interesting in their own ways. Every actor does their character justice and serve their purpose to the story.

The film is well paced, never boring, and is unpredictable. If only comedies these days would be more like this, then they would be a lot easier to sit through. If you can find this film give it a chance, it's definitely worth it.

Whoopi Goldberg saves the day in this comedy, that is not brilliant (I've seen hundreds of better movies) but it pleases anyway. The plot is not that original, but it's interesting. Watching this movie is a good thing to do in a Sunday afternoon when you're together with your family and friends.

This is a star vehicle if ever there was one, so much so that the other characters barely even register on the scale. Like they did with Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy before her, Hollywood took the broad outline of Whoopi Goldberg's stand-up persona and tried to craft a movie around it. I suppose they figured she'd already proved her dramatic capabilities in "The Color Purple", so staying close to her roots next time around for a possible cash-in was worth it. Whether you are endeared to this almost cut and paste approach depends largely on if you find appeal in her and her act, or not. I do, so I'm not troubled that so much of the focus is on just one person for so long.

There's the usual 80's stock plot about spies and secret dealings, but really that's just a front to see if Goldberg can establish a wacky character and manage to keep the audience interested in following her journey until the end of the film. If that's the sum total of your expectations for this movie, then I'd say that all concerned accomplish their task rather well.

Roger Ebert complained that her character is a loner who doesn't interact properly with others. In this case, there is a definite reason why she was forced into such a narrow pigeonhole - it's so there's little chance that one of her co-stars may inadvertently steal her thunder. There's no fear of that, this is a one woman show throughout, but to me she proved that she's got the tools to headline a movie all by herself, and still be funny. Sisters are doing it for themselves.

This movie has always been one of my favorite 80s movies. Is the plot particularly original? Nah. But I have always found bits and pieces of it to be funny enough to make me lose my breath.

I like the pseudo-detective/spy work that Terry Doolittle accomplishes, especially the rough ways in which she accomplishes it. This may very well be the first computer romance movie. In that capacity, it provides a somewhat cute look at computers and even at office politics in the 80s.

I don't think even Richard Pryor's characters can match the charming Terry Doolittle. Between her rough language and wild clothes, she's quite original.

It´s a funny movie. But the point I really found exciting is chatting via PC. Now it is no problem and mostly everyone does it. But in 1986 there was no internet like we have today. I think it was a great job from Whoopie Goldberg and the producers, to visualize chatting over a computer network in 1986.

Here's a movie you'll either like a lot or can't stand, depending upon your feelings primarily about Whoopi Goldberg.

If her constant profanity - especially her use of the Lord's name in vain - doesn't phase you, this is a very entertaining flick. The computer stuff was very cool 20 years ago but dated down, as we've come a long way in that technology. A good thriller, though, with interesting twists.

If her language, and Goldberg's overall attitude, is not your liking, then pass this film up (and not all, but many others of hers) because this is typical of her humor and her profane mouth. What surprised me was that Penny Marshall is associated or at least had the reputation of a nice, family-oriented type director....yet she's involved with this?

If only for the dress shredding scene, this has enough laughs to keep the plot spinning as WHOOPI GOLDBERG gets deeper and deeper into deep you know what trying to help some guy in Russia do his spy thing.

It's all impossible, shows the technological gap existing between then and now with old computers, and all the while has Whoopi cutting loose as only she can. The scene at the Embassy ball and the telephone scene with her being dragged through the city streets, are just two of the highlights in this comedy directed by Penny Marshall.

STEPHEN COLLINS is totally wasted as the office worker replacement who lends some mild mannered assistance, as are JAMES BELUSHI and JONATHAN PRYCE in small parts, but since the film depends heavily on Whoopi for all the laughs, it doesn't matter much. PETER MICHAEL GOETZ is excellent as her impatient boss.

The plot is a flimsy spy plot with lots of sight gags as Whoopi flits around New York City keeping one step ahead of the bad guys. Passes the time and is generally good fun, but it's peppered with lots of profanity and vulgarisms, mostly from Whoopi, of course.

This is definitely Whoopi Goldberg at her very best (and funniest!). Here she plays Teri, DoLittle, a bank teller, who one day, starts receiving mysterious pleas for help from a British Intelligence going by the name Jumpin' Jack Flash, and asks her to help him get back home.

This film was made in 1986, and a lot of the props, scenery, costumes and words are a bit old (particularly Teri's brightly-coloured shoes) and the computers have very little to them.

However, what the film lacks in what is cool nowadays, it more than makes up for in comedy! Yep - this film is absolutely hilarious!! And mixed with elements of thrillers, mysteries and dramas, it all comes together nicely in this wicked film.

There are a heap of favourite scenes - the tape deciphering one, the singing act, the police station scene and the truth serum part were so funny, I still laugh at it - and I've seen this film at least 30 times!!

There are so many funny lines, I just had to put some in:

"There's a dead man floatin' around in the river!... What is it wit' you people, everytime you see a black woman she has to be a pimp or a John? What do you think there's a lotta work down at the docks as hookers? Do you think I give blowjobs down there to goldfish?!?"

"What are you people doing spending all your money, take mine. Beauty comes from within you, it's not something you can buy! Except, except for you, you need the most help, take my credit card"

See? If you haven't already seen it, you just have to! And if you have? Well, you just gotta see it again! The acting's brilliant, the script is hilarious and the film plain and simply rocks! 9½/10!!

Great movie, comedy/suspense. Very funny, one of Whoopie's best!

I noticed there is no place to submit goofs for this movie and I found one. She uses a monochrome computer, but after she breaks the "code", there is a color display of stars and such and then you see her chatting in color!

A must see for any Whoopie fan!

Favorite line: Song: I'm a slave to two lesbians; Whoopie: Come on Mick, two lesbians? F*** a duck!

Typical Goldberg fare in which she plays a banker who communicates with a "Secret Agent" with the code name Jumpin' Jack Flash while being pursued by a group of spies. Goldberg has good potential here, and the film has an interesting premise, but it doesn't deliver much and the supporting actors fail to bring much life into it. Whoopi's performance saves the film from being a major disappointment.

2 out of 5

It's Gas, Gas, Gas, laughing gas good. Whoopi Goldberg is my favourite comedy actress, she is hilarious. I had seen this movie at the supermarket and i was thinking of buying it, so i came home and asked my mum had seen it and she said yes and also said it was a good film i then bought a week later and had real good laugh.

This has become one of my favourite comedy movies i watched it for days. Whoopi Goldberg gives a hilarious and compelling, Goldberg plays a conspicuous computer operator at a bank she tries to blend in, although she is the type of character who cannot.

The 1986 comedy which was Whoopi Golberg's claim to fame is about A computer operator at a bank is plunged into an exciting world of international intrigue, danger, surprise, fun and romance, when her terminal gets an S.O.S. from "Jumpin' Jack Flash," a British spy stranded in Eastern Europe. She is soon matching wits with the deadliest members of the espionage community from the CIA to the KGB. Jon Lovitz and Jim Belushi co-star in this suspenseful, fast-paced and murderously funny comedy.

Goldberg pulls off this character of a person who cannot find romance or a great deal of friends, but soon she will find romance and many more friends just as much as she finds danger and pleasure in this deep comical movie with a orthodox happy ending

It's not necessarily a fast paced murder blood and guts movie it is a fast paced movie of comedy, fun and thrill, i must say this film may not fit for everybody, but in my opinion i think it hasn't yet lost it's funniness and great story line an 8/10 an EXCELLENT film.

JUMPIN' JACK FLASH is one of those high-energy 1980s-era comedies that works well thanks to the mixing up of thriller aspects in the storyline. It's my favourite Whoopi Goldberg-starring role, much better than more family-oriented fare like SISTER ACT, because it has lots of character and lots of edge. Goldberg plays a computer work - love that 1980s-era technology - who is contacted by a spy via her PC monitor (yes, really) and soon gets involved in an espionage plot. There are crazy chase scenes, a demented James Belushi as an assassin, and some other thriller-type aspects that gel together pretty well. The thing that holds this all together is Goldberg herself, warm, funny, likeable, quick-mouthed and a unique persona.

Disappointing 80s comedy considering the talent involved. Whoopi Goldberg is contacted over a computer and finds herself helping a British spy in this comic action thriller that if it were a better film could have been a modern day "North by Northwest" or even a fun contemporary like "The Man with One Red Shoe," but instead it's a dull story that's only made watchable by a talented cast. That cast includes Jonathan Pryce, Jon Lovitz, Phil Hartman, Michael McKean, Jim Belushi, Paxton Whitehead, Tracey Ullman, Garry Marshall, Carol Kane (looking the most normal and most conventionally attractive I've ever seen her), Annie Potts, Roscoe Lee Browne, Jeroen Krabbé, Jamey Sheridan, Stephen Collins, and John Wood (you know, Falken from 'WarGames"). To top off the disappointment factor, this was the directorial debut of Penny Marshall, who'd go on to direct classics like "Big," "A League of Their Own," and "Awakenings." And there's even a nicely 80s score by Thomas Newman. This talent manages to make this dull and unfunny script watchable, but just barely (and the script was by several talented writers who's credits include "Die Hard," "48 Hrs," "The Larry Sanders Show", "Private Benjamin," "Father of the Bride," and even "Gladiator" and "Amistad." Who knows what happened to this movie?

This is a fast-paced and to-the-point crime comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg as banker Terry Doolittle who communicates with clients electronically on her computer throughout the world. One day, she receives a coded message from an unknown man who is pleading for help, as he is stuck in limbo in an unknown country. The suspense builds as an espionage case is revealed to be involved and culprits are after Terry.

Goldberg delivers her unique brand of humor (especially liked the scene where her cocktail dress got caught in the shredder) and her fast-talking and no-nonsense attitude. Stephen Collins plays Terry's newly-hired co-worker Marty Phillips, who seems to be caught in places where Terry is in trouble. Carol Kane plays Terry's sassy and high-pitched voice co-worker Cynthia, and Annie Potts plays the mysterious Liz Carlson, who seems to be the only person Terry can trust in the espionage case.

It's a somewhat classic-style spy genre film, which I thought could have used a bit more action and suspense. However, the plot was well-paced and the acting was pretty good, giving us a pretty entertaining feature.

Grade B

The pre-internet online communications in "Jumpin' Jack Flash" might be the main thing that interests you, but you should watch the movie for much more than that. Having established herself as a serious actress in "The Color Purple", Whoopi Goldberg plays a sassy bank employee who inadvertently gets herself involved in international espionage.

The funniest scenes are when Goldberg gets herself worked up into a frenzy and starts verbally tearing people a new one. Along with the scene in the British consulate. Penny Marshall's directorial debut is basically an excuse for Goldberg to be as nutty as possible. In some scenes she has a little help, as in the phone booth scene. It's just a funny movie, and I suspect that they had a lot of fun filming it. Also starring Stephen Collins, Jonathan Pryce, John Wood (Prof. Falken in "WarGames"), Jeroen Krabbé, Jim Belushi, Carol Kane, Jon Lovitz, Phil Hartman, Annie Potts (Janeane in "Ghostbusters" and Bo Peep in "Toy Story"), Tracey Ullman and Michael McKean.

A sad irony is that I'm reviewing this on September 11, and the movie opens with a shot of the Twin Towers.