Film

Herbie Goes Bananas

Name: Herbie Goes Bananas
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Family, Adventure
Released: 1980
Cast: Cloris Leachman, Charles Martin Smith, John Vernon, Stephen W. Burns, Elyssa Davalos

Comedy
Light-hearted

A 1980 Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of its own drives south of the border to foil counterfeiters, mixing slapstick comedy with modest adventure. It's endearingly dumb, relying on charm and the premise's inherent goofiness rather than wit. Squarely for families seeking unchallenging fun and anyone nostalgic for when Hollywood could sustain a feature around a sentient car.

TMDb rating

2.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you grew up on sight gags and a car that behaves like a cheeky dog, and you still find pratfalls and chases delightful without needing them to mean much.

Skip it if the jokes are broad and the plot is a thin excuse for chases, so if you need wit or subtlety, the charm may wear thin fast.

What it asks of you: It runs an hour and a half at a light, bouncy pace, asking only that you go along with a car with a mind of its own and cartoonish villains.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Herbie Fully Loaded2005

A 21st-century remake that respects the original's spirit while updating the humor and stakes. Lindsay Lohan and a restored Beetle-turned-racer make for a genuinely entertaining romp with real driving sequences.

But Aggressively 2000s in its sensibility—product placement, thin characterization, and a formulaic Disney feel that some find cloying.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang1968

Another animated-metal-character fantasy adventure with elaborate production design, musical numbers, and the same fundamental absurdity. Richard Fleischer's vision is ambitious and visually weird in ways that stay with you.

But Nearly three hours long, deeply theatrical, and the child-catcher sequence genuinely disturbs some viewers even now.

The Love Bug1968

The original Herbie film that started it all. Lighter, more elegantly paced, and genuinely charming—Buddy Hackett and Dean Jones have real rapport, and the racing scenes hold up.

But Very much a creature of 1968; the gender dynamics are dated and the jokes rely heavily on physical comedy that lands unevenly today.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Herbie Goes Bananas

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Moonwalkers2015

Both are 70s/80s fantasycomedies about underdogs and bumbling schemes, but Moonwalkers commits fully to chaos while Herbie stays safely sentimental—a chance to see the same premise go completely unhinged.

A gonzo comedy about CIA agents and con artists racing to fake the moon landing before the Soviets beat America to it. It's absurdist, anarchic, anarchic, and absolutely committed to the bit in ways Herbie isn't brave enough to be.

But Aggressively unfocused and often crude. The humor is scattershot and the plot dissolves halfway through; it will feel like a waste of time if you need narrative coherence.

Bumblebee2018

A Transformer film pitched at family audiences with real heart beneath the action. John Cena plays against type, the 80s setting works, and it's surprisingly earnest about friendship and belonging.

But Still a Transformers film—explosions and property damage dominate the third act, and the plot is threadbare if you're not invested in the emotional core.

Christine1983

John Carpenter's horror film about a malevolent 1958 Plymouth Fury—the dark mirror to Herbie's innocence. Beautifully shot, genuinely unsettling, and the car itself becomes a fully realized character.

But Slow-burn horror doesn't suit everyone, and the teenage romance subplot feels dated. It's also considerably darker and more violent than you might expect.

Gremlins1984

Similar era, similar premise: cute creature, chaos ensues. Joe Dante's direction is sharper, the humor is sharper, and it works as both family entertainment and genuine dark comedy.

But The cute creatures turn genuinely vicious and destructive. Some scenes are played nasty enough to unsettle younger viewers despite the PG rating.

Night at the Museum2006

Ben Stiller in a family adventure where inanimate objects come to life in New York. The magic-realism fantasy premise shares Herbie's tone: gentle, playful, and genuinely inventive in moments.

But Overstuffed with celebrity cameos and pop-culture references that date quickly. The plot is merely scaffolding for set pieces, which some find exhausting.

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical2022

A recent family film with theatrical energy, genuine wit underneath the accessibility, and production value that respects its audience. It finds the darkness in Dahl while staying playful.

But Heavy on musical theatre tropes; if you don't vibe with that register, the whimsy becomes mannered. It's also much sharper and sadder than Herbie's tone.

Pete's Dragon2016

A live-action/CGI hybrid about a boy and a dragon in a small town. Sentimental but genuinely made, with care given to character and setting in ways most family films skip.

But Deliberately slow and contemplative for a family film. The pacing will bore anyone seeking constant action or laughs, and the sentimentality doesn't land for every viewer.

Kiki's Delivery Service1989

Both center on a magical companion helping their owner navigate unfamiliar territory, but Kiki uses that premise to explore identity and independence rather than slapstick—sentiment over spectacle.

Hayao Miyazaki's animated adventure about a young witch starting a new life in a city. Genuinely magical, gorgeously drawn, and deeply comforting—it has the warmth and charm of Herbie without a single wasted frame.

But Subtitled (unless you catch a dub), and deeply uninterested in plot mechanics. It's mood and character over incident, which some experience as slow or thin.

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert1994

Both are journeys down long roads in a beloved vehicle, but where Herbie stays cheerful and plot-driven, Priscilla uses the road trip as a frame for radical self-discovery and queer joy—the same structure carrying completely different weight.

Three drag performers road-trip across the Australian outback in a bus called Priscilla, breaking down repeatedly and finding grace in chaos. It's hilarious, moving, visually stunning, and about chosen family and transformation.

But Explicit content—language, sexuality, and some fairly raw emotional material. This isn't coded as family-safe entertainment, and the tone will alienate viewers seeking lightweight fun.