He appears to have been given a powerful humanitarian thunderbolt, as 'Number 5' escapes from an experimental electronics company. In those moments, the number X turns to the home of an animal-loving peace activist, convinced that the mechanical man is quite far from the planet.
Scripters get credit for some terrific dialog that would have been a lot less disarming if not for the winsome robot and Sheedy's affection for it. Guttenberg plays his best goofy self.
A film that demands emotional connections with a robot whose voice is one of the most annoying ever produced. Give us Hal, R2-D2 or a barber shop quartet of Daleks any day.
One of the stranger ironies to be found in Hollywood these days is that some of its most resourceful directors use high-tech wizardry and state-of- the-art movie technology to make films that rail against the tyranny of science.
The movie, which has the clean, well-scrubbed look of an old Disney comedy, is nicely acted by Miss Sheedy, who demonstrates a light-comedy touch not unlike Amy Irving's [and] Mr. Guttenberg.
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
January 01, 2000
It's basically a kid's movie, and quite possibly the kids will like it. But they'll have to be fairly young kids.