Junior

An ambitious fertility scientist joins forces with a skeptical colleague to test a drug designed for expectant mothers. To prove its potential, Dr. Alex Hesse volunteers for a radical trial and undergoes an embryo implantation, expecting to monitor only a brief period to study the drug’s effects. The premise quickly becomes a comic test of science, medicine, and gender norms as Hesse begins to experience the physiological quirks of pregnancy. The people around him debate safety, responsibility, and the real cost of rushing a breakthrough. With time running and tensions rising in the lab, the team must balance professional ambition against the ethical boundaries of experimentation. Lively performances drive the farce while grounding it in character. The project tests not only bodies but boundaries between science and commerce.

Released in 1994, Junior was directed by Ivan Reitman with a screenplay by Kevin Wade and Chris Conrad. The film pairs Arnold Schwarzenegger with Danny DeVito and Emma Thompson in a high concept comedy. The production captures the era's energy.

Junior grossed about 108,400,000 worldwide on a 60,000,000 budget, making it a solid performer for a mid 90s comedy. Its earnings reflected broad appeal across US and international audiences. It remained popular in home video and TV airings.

The idea of a pregnant man pulled attention beyond the theater, feeding jokes and debates about science, gender roles, and medical research. It also sparked consent debates. It kept the conversation about ethical limits in experimentation alive and helped shape how later comedies handle outrageous medical conceits.

Critics were divided about the setup, praising the performances of Schwarzenegger and Thompson while noting premise could strain credibility. The film probes ambition and hubris in science, the tug between professional duty and personal life, and the absurdity of hospital politics. It shows science as work and humor as balance.