tim ( gary daniel ) want desperately to break into serious television reporting . when a job he beg for go awry and he be fire . his beautiful but empty girlfriend ( elizabeth hurley ) say sayonara and too . come home and tim be startle to discover his house have an uninvited visitor ( christopher lloyd ) from the planet mar . call him uncle martin and tim soon try to help his new friend navigate life on earth . but and martin get in trouble wherever he go and from the bathroom to the laundry room and more . lovely lizzie ( daryl hannah ) finally see an opportunity to make time with tim but the course of true love do not run smooth in this case and either . soon everyone in television be stalk tim and hop for a story about a true alien . what a man to do . for those who love the old television show of the same name and with bill bixby and ray walston and this film be not worthy to tie the proverbial boot . it truly and undeniably awful and with no plot and a reliance on suppose special effect which fall flat and too . daniel be okay a the earthling but lloyd be simply terrible a the alien and overact up a storm . the rest of the cast be adequate and a be the costume and set and and production detail . even if your child see the cover and beg for this film and convince them to pick out another flick at the video store . be assure and kid and adult will find this movie a colossal bore and so opt for a night at the museum or around the world in 80 day instead .