D.A.R.Y.L.

The film is centered around the character of Daryl, an acronym for "Data-Analyzing Robot Youth Lifeform." Daryl is an artificial intelligence experiment created by a government company called TASCOM. Physically resembling a ten-year-old boy, Daryl's brain is actually a highly advanced microcomputer with extraordinary abilities, including exceptional reflexes, multitasking skills, and the ability to hack computer systems. The experiment was intended to produce a super-soldier and was funded by the military.

One of the scientists involved in the project, Dr. Mulligan, becomes disillusioned and decides to free Daryl. Pursued by a helicopter, Dr. Mulligan sacrifices himself to ensure Daryl's escape, driving his car off a cliff. Daryl is subsequently discovered by an elderly couple and taken to an orphanage in Barkenton, South Carolina. However, he has no memory of his true identity. After being placed with his foster parents, Joyce and Andy Richardson, Daryl begins to exhibit exceptional talents.

Daryl's social skills are limited due to his isolated upbringing, but he befriends Turtle, a sarcastic and wisecracking neighbor. Daryl shares that he has amnesia and hopes his real parents will find him someday. As Daryl observes Turtle playing a video game called Pole Position, he effortlessly outperforms him, displaying superhuman abilities. Andy decides to teach Daryl social skills through baseball, where Daryl excels, hitting multiple home runs and impressing everyone. Daryl also demonstrates his advanced capabilities when he helps Andy rectify an issue with an ATM and manipulates its display to show a large sum of money.

During a baseball game, government agents locate Daryl and return him to the TASCOM facility in Washington, D.C., where his memory is restored. Daryl undergoes a debriefing, and it is revealed that his capacity for human emotions has deemed the project a failure, leading to a decision to terminate him. Dr. Stewart, one of Daryl's creators, helps him escape, assisted by Dr. Lamb, who now questions Daryl's true nature.

Daryl and Dr. Stewart evade their pursuers with Daryl's driving skills and steal a plane. Daryl contacts Turtle, instructing him and Sherie to meet him at Blue Lake, a familiar location. The Air Force attempts to intercept the plane but fails. Daryl ejects at the last moment to fake his death while the plane is destroyed. However, he lands unconscious in the lake and drowns. Daryl's body is rushed to the hospital but shows no signs of life.

Dr. Lamb discovers Daryl and reactivates his electronic brain, reviving him. With Daryl now declared dead, he is no longer pursued by TASCOM. He joyfully reunites with his foster family, bringing happiness to everyone, including Turtle, who believed Daryl could not die since he is a robot.

• Barret Oliver as D.A.R.Y.L.
• Mary Beth Hurt as Joyce Richardson
• Michael McKean as Andy Richardson
• Danny Corkill as Tyler "Turtle" Fox
• Josef Sommer as Dr. Jeffrey Stewart
• David Wohl as Mr. Nesbitt
• Colleen Camp as Elaine Fox
• Steve Ryan as Howie Fox
• Amy Linker as Sherie Lee Fox
• Kathryn Walker as Dr. Ellen Lamb
• Hardy Rawls as Bull McKenzie
• Jim Fitzpatrick as TASCOM Security Cop

D.A.R.Y.L. failed to make it into the box office top five, and received mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has 53% approval rating based on 17 reviews.[4] A 1985 reviewer for The New York Times wrote, "The best that can be said about D.A.R.Y.L.... is that it's inoffensive."[5] In his review for Entertainment Tonight, Leonard Maltin said, "This is one of the blandest movies I've seen all year. No punch. No surprises. No juice, especially in the way it's directed."[6] On their show At the Movies, Gene Siskel gave D.A.R.Y.L. a "thumbs down" for being predictable and formulaic, while Roger Ebert recommended the movie, praising its ending and comparing its theme to that of the 1968 film Charly.[7]

DVD Verdict cites "wooden" acting and a "preposterous" plot, but ultimately concludes that the film is "a formulaic slice of family entertainment that doesn't do much new, but follows the blueprint well enough to warrant a look."[8]

• Short Circuit (1986 film)

• D.A.R.Y.L. at IMDb
• D.A.R.Y.L. at AllMovie