Character Analysis
Benjamin Cranklin
Billy's dad is an inventor. Some men invent useful things, like the telephone, the light bulb or bird feeders that electrocute squirrels. (We'll take two.)
Rand Peltzer invented…the Bathroom Buddy. Here's his pitch.
RAND: I'm an inventor. I made this. The Bathroom Buddy. It's the invention of the century, friend. It eliminates the need to carry heavy luggage and things when you travel. You got yourself your shaving mirror, you got yourself your toothbrush, you got yourself a toothpick. You got toenail clippers, you got a nail file, and you got yourself a dental mirror. This is gonna revolutionize traveling.
If Rand were on Shark Tank, Mr. Wonderful would show him to the door before he took his first breath.
Dad gets the plot rolling by buying Gizmo as a Christmas gift for Billy. After that, he's comic relief.
But dad does pop up in the middle of the movie with one horrifying suggestion.
RAND: I bet every kid in America would like one of these. They might even replace the dog as the family pet. Think about it, the Peltzer Pet. This could really be the big one.
Okay, even if the mogwai wouldn't mutate and kill the entire country, this is a bad idea. Rand is suggesting taking an exotic creature and mass breed it to sell them to children. That's cruel and unethical. But it also, in a chilling act of prophecy, predicts the rise of the '90s cult toy Furby.
Hmm. Maybe ol' Mr. Peltzer isn't such a bad entrepreneur after all.