Novelist Larry Donner (Billy Crystal) struggles with writer's block due to his resentment towards his ex-wife Margaret (Kate Mulgrew), who stole his book and garnered mainstream success and critical acclaim with it. Owen Lift (Danny DeVito) is a timid, middle-aged man who still lives with his overbearing, abusive mother (Anne Ramsey). Owen fantasizes of killing his mother but can't summon the courage to bring his desires into fruition. As a student in Larry's community college writing class, Owen is given advice by Larry to view an Alfred Hitchcock film to gain some insight into plot development. He sees Strangers on a Train, in which two strangers conspire to commit a murder for each other, figuring their lack of connection to the victim will, in theory, establish a perfect alibi. Having overheard Larry's public rant that he wish his ex-wife dead, Owen forms a plan to kill Margaret, believing that Larry will respond by killing his mother He tracks Margaret down to Hawaii and follows her onto a cruise ship, apparently pushing her overboard while she tries to retrieve an earring that fell out. Owen returns from Hawaii to tell Larry of Margaret's death and that Larry now "owes" him the murder of his mother, lest he inform the police Larry was the killer. After having spent the night drinking alone during the hours of Margaret's disappearance, Larry panics because he lacks a sufficient alibi. That, along with a news report announcing the police suspect foul play, convinces Larry he's the prime suspect. He decides to stay with Owen and his mother in an attempt to hide from the police. Larry meets Mrs. Lift, but despite her harsh treatment of him he refuses to kill her. Eventually, when Mrs. Lift drives Owen to the breaking point, Larry finally relents and agrees to go through with the murder. After two unsuccessful attempts, Larry flees the Lift home when Mrs. Lift recognizes him as a suspect from a news broadcast about his ex-wife's disappearance. He boards a train to Mexico and, surprisingly, Owen and Mrs. Lift come along so as to avoid having to lie for him. During the journey, Larry's patience with Mrs. Lift reaches its pinnacle when she impolitely gives him advice on writing. He follows her to the caboose with the intent of throwing her from the train, but stops short when she almost falls off on her own. Owen begins having second thoughts about having his mother killed and comes to help Larry rescue her. Mrs. Lift is grateful at her son for saving her, but unappreciative of Larry's help and kicks him, resulting in him losing his balance, landing on the tracks, and breaking his leg. During his recovery in the hospital, Larry discovers Margaret is still alive; she simply fell overboard by accident and was rescued by a Polynesian fisherman whom she has decided to marry. Much to his annoyance, Larry learns Margaret plans to sell the rights of her ordeal for $1.5 million dollars. On the advice of a fellow patient, Larry chooses to free himself of his obsession with his ex-wife and instead focus on his own life, thereby freeing him of his writer's block. A year later, Larry has finished a novel based on his experiences with Owen and Mrs. Lift entitled Throw Momma from the Train. Owen visits and informs him that his mother has died (of natural causes) and that he's going to New York City for the release of his own book. Unfortunately, Owen reveals his book is also about their experiences together. Thinking his book has been scooped, an enraged Larry proceeds to strangle him, but stops when Owen shows him the book is a children's pop-up book called, Momma, Owen, and Owen's Friend Larry with the story drastically altered to be suitable for children. Months later, Larry, Owen, and Larry's girlfriend Beth (Kim Greist) vacation together in Hawaii, reflecting on the final chapter of Larry's book. Larry and Owen's books have now become best-sellers, making them both successful writers as well as close friends.
“我的学生们都知道让我潸然泪下的场景来自斯督瑟温编剧的《谋害老妈》。nnn比利克里斯托扮演一个写作老师，丹尼德维托是他最调皮捣蛋的学生。丹尼邀请比利到他家吃饭。不仅比利不想去，我们也不想他去，因为丹尼实在是太招人讨厌了。丹尼挚爱的老爸已经过世，女演员安妮?拉姆齐扮演的他老妈则相当可怕，她得了癌症，一部分舌头已经切除，所以除了样貌奇丑之外，她还有一副懈怠的令人难受的嗓音。“欧文，你一个朋友都没有！”听她说话就像锯条在锯你！nnn晚餐很糟糕，丹尼他老妈恐怖之极。比利克里斯托心里只有一个念头：赶紧离开。他看不上丹尼?德维托，我们也一样。当丹尼的妈妈终于缩回自己的窝里睡觉，比利想自己终于可以出门了，而丹尼却问他是否有兴趣看看他收集的硬币。nnn比利只能说好。他和丹尼上了楼，丹尼掀起地毯搬开地板，掏出一个锈迹斑斑的锡烟盒。nnn你得知道观众有多讨厌丹尼，直到这一刻他做的每一件事都令人火星乱冒，我们希望他马上从视线中消失。nnn丹尼倒出十来个硬币到地上：两枚破烂的25美分硬币，两枚10美分硬币，一两枚5分锡币。比利觉得遭到了戏弄，他想：“就这些？”我们也是这么想的。nnn然后，是一个让人难以置信的惊人转折，作者让你爱上了丹尼德维托。nnn丹尼捡起一枚硬币给比利看——写到这里我的眼泪又一次忍不住夺眶而出——他说：“这个是我得到的找零的钱，我爸爸带我去看彼得、保罗和玛丽那次。这一枚，是我在马戏团买热狗的时候得到的零钱。我爸爸让我留着零钱，他总是让我把找的零钱自己留着。”绝妙。nnn电影余下的部分，丹尼德维托不会再犯错！我们爱他。他仍然让人恼火，但是我们爱他。爱到二十年后我坐在这儿写这本书，还因为二十年前看的一部电影里的一个场景满含热泪。nnn这就是情感，你的剧本也得给读者这个。”