Short Circuit (1986): cast, story & where to watch
1986 · Film · ★ 6.6
Released in 1986, Short Circuit is a comedy, family and science fiction film directed by John Badham, running about 98 minutes. “Something wonderful has happened... No. 5 is alive!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. After a lightning bolt zaps a robot named Number 5, the lovable machine starts to think he's human and escapes the lab. Hot on his trail is his designer, Newton, who hopes to get to Number 5 before the military does. In the meantime, a spunky animal lover mistakes the robot for an alien and takes him in, teaching her new guest about life on Earth.
Who’s in it. Short Circuit stars Ally Sheedy as Stephanie Speck, Steve Guttenberg as Newton Crosby, Fisher Stevens as Ben Jabituya and Austin Pendleton as Howard Marner, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.6/10, Short Circuit has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $40.7M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Short Circuit page.
If you liked it. Fans of Short Circuit tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Short Circuit (1986)?
- In US, Short Circuit is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Short Circuit worth watching?
- Short Circuit holds an audience score of 6.6 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy, family and science fiction. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Short Circuit?
- Short Circuit stars Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton and G.W. Bailey.
- When was Short Circuit released?
- Short Circuit was released in 1986, with a runtime of about 98 minutes.