The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)

David Elroy Goldweber wrote:What's Happening: Chemicals from consumer products cause harried housewife to shrink
Famous For: Good satire with good cast
It's mostly a genial play on consumer culture, but genre fans should enjoy the surreal camp and decent effects. Everything is poofy and pastel. Neighbors greet each other by recommending new products to purchase. There's a heroic gorilla. American consumer culture is an easy target, but the script is witty, and it adds an entertaining complication when a cadre of corporate raiders tries to create a serum that will shrink everyone in the world but themselves. Once she gets down to about a foot high, Lily Tomlin has a series of excellent and memorable scenes among kids, toys, and assorted household products including bacon strips.

Goldweber, David Elroy (2012-06-14). Claws & Saucers: Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy Film: A Complete Guide: 1902-1982 (Kindle Locations 38373-38379). David E. Goldweber. Kindle Edition.

The main flaw is having Tomlin play two roles. This kind of casting often works on TV, but rarely works in movies. You could even say Tomlin plays three roles, since her Laugh-in telephone operator has a late cameo. It's pretty distracting. But the movie is fun and exciting. Charles Grodin, Ned Beatty, and Mike Douglas (playing himself) round out the cast. Jane Wagner, Tomlin's domestic partner, wrote the script. Joel Schumacher later made the underrated Batman Forever (1995). Adolescents will get most of the jokes, but adults will like it best.

Goldweber, David Elroy (2012-06-14). Claws & Saucers: Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy Film: A Complete Guide: 1902-1982 (Kindle Locations 38386-38400). David E. Goldweber. Kindle Edition.