Modern Problems backdrop
COMEDY . 1981 . 1h 29m . 5.4/10

Modern Problems_

"Chevy has the power to make this Christmas the funniest ever!"

Jealous, harried air traffic controller Max Fielder, recently dumped by his girlfriend, comes into contact with nuclear waste and is granted the power of telekinesis, which he uses to not only win her back, but to gain a little revenge.

Starring Chevy Chase, Patti D'Arbanville, Dabney Coleman
Box Office $26.2M
5.4/10
Rating
$26.2M
Box Office
1h 29m
Runtime
1981
Year
BLOCKBUSTER
+227% ROI
Profitability
Updated Feb 16, 2026
Modern Problems poster
Chevy has the power to make this Christmas the funniest ever!

Jealous, harried air traffic controller Max Fielder, recently dumped by his girlfriend, comes into contact with nuclear waste and is granted the power of telekinesis, which he uses to not only win her back, but to gain a little revenge.

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Box office
Modern Problems earned $26.2M worldwide on a $8.0M budget — a 227% return on investment.
Cast
Chevy Chase stars as Max Fielder in Modern Problems.
Chevy Chase →
Year context
Modern Problems was released 45 years ago in 1981.
Modern Problems is a Comedy, Science Fiction, Romance film with a runtime of 1h 29m.

CAST (18)

Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase
Max Fielder
Patti D'Arbanville
Patti D'Arbanville
Darcy
Dabney Coleman
Dabney Coleman
Mark Winslow
Mary Kay Place
Mary Kay Place
Lorraine
Nell Carter
Nell Carter
Dorita
Brian Doyle-Murray
Brian Doyle-Murray
Brian Stills
Mitch Kreindel
Mitch Kreindel
Barry
AS
Arthur Sellers
Mobile Supervisor
Sandy Helberg
Sandy Helberg
Pete
NT
Neil Thompson
Controller #1
CI
Carl Irwin
Controller #2
RE
Ronald E. House
Vendor (as Ron House)
BL
Buzzy Linhart
The Tile Man
Henry Corden
Henry Corden
Dubrovnik
Pat Proft
Pat Proft
Maitre 'd
JH
Jim Hudson
Doctor
Frank Birney
Frank Birney
Man in Lobby
VG
Vincenzo Gagliardi
Singer

BOX OFFICE

$8.0M
Budget
$26.2M
Revenue
+227%
ROI
BLOCKBUSTER
Verdict

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
89 min (1h 29m)
Country
Rating
5.4/10 (93 votes)
Budget
$8,000,000
Box Office
$26,154,211
Profit
+$18,154,211

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Modern Problems about?
Jealous, harried air traffic controller Max Fielder, recently dumped by his girlfriend, comes into contact with nuclear waste and is granted the power of telekinesis, which he uses to not only win her back, but to gain a little revenge.
How long is Modern Problems?
Modern Problems has a runtime of 89 minutes (1h 29m).
Who stars in Modern Problems?
The cast of Modern Problems includes Chevy Chase, Patti D'Arbanville, Dabney Coleman, Mary Kay Place, Nell Carter.
How much did Modern Problems make at the box office?
Modern Problems earned $26,154,211 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $8,000,000.
What is the rating of Modern Problems?
Modern Problems has a rating of 5.4 out of 10 based on 93 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (3)

Comedy Science Fiction Romance
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