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Death to Smoochy
Tells the story of Rainbow Randolph, the corrupt, costumed star of a popular children's TV show, who is fired over a bribery scandal and replaced by squeaky-clean Smoochy, a puffy fuchsia rhinoceros. As Smoochy catapults to fame - scoring hit ratings and the affections of a network executive - Randolph makes the unsuspecting rhino the target of his numerous outrageous attempts to exact revenge and reclaim his status as America's sweetheart.
Release : | 2002 |
Rating : | 6.3 |
Studio : | Warner Bros. Pictures, Senator Film, Senator International, |
Crew : | Art Direction, Assistant Property Master, |
Cast : | Robin Williams Edward Norton Catherine Keener Danny DeVito Jon Stewart |
Genre : | Drama Comedy Thriller Crime |
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Excellent, Without a doubt!!
I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
The acting in this movie is really good.
This film is a black comedy about the universe of children's TV programs. In the movie, idealistic Sheldon Mopes (aka Smoochy the Rhino), after a meteoric rise in television and fame, will face several enemies and rivals, who will wish his disappearance, beginning with Rainbow Randolph (which he came to replace without doing anything to it) and ending in his own unscrupulous agent. A story that can be very unpleasant as there are no pleasant characters. Mopes is the nicest character, but he's so angelic, overly well-intentioned and uncommon in his way of thinking (which, though, is consistent with what the character stands for) that we end up not being able to like him. He is too naïve and, therefore, becomes worthy of our mistrust.As a comedy, the film turns out partially, especially if you enjoy black humor. But the jokes are rather weak and make you smile rather than laugh, perhaps because black humor has some moral stigma for many people and isn't pleasing to the majority of the public. The actors do a decent job, especially Edward Norton and Danny DeVito. Robin Williams is a great comic actor but this is perhaps his weakest film. It just wasn't the right character for him. The remaining cast is limited to comply with what it has to do, without great merit. All this contributes to make this film into a weak and forgettable comedy, where small notes of irony are the most positive point to emphasize.
Randolph Smiley (Robin Williams) is the corrupt host of the kiddie show, "The Rainbow Randolph Show". The FBI catches him with a sting of him selling kids' spots on his show. The show is quickly canceled. Sleezy executive Frank Stokes (Jon Stewart) and hardened producer Nora Wells (Catherine Keener) are given the task to look for a replacement. They hire the squeaky clean Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton) and his Smoochy the Rhino character. Mopes hires agent Burke Bennett (Danny DeVito) to get back control of his own show. Smiley works to sabotage him and retake the show.I can take a movie without laughs but this is more than that. Director Danny DeVito's aggressive style elevates the annoying aspects of kiddie TV. It's gaudy, in-your-face, and loud. There are no characters to like. Sure it's a dark comedy but I don't even care enough to want these people dead. I simply want to get away from them. It takes top level talents really going for it to drive a movie this far off the tracks. Lesser people would be stuck and stop short. This movie takes the most annoying parts and drive it right through the screen. It's not that I didn't laugh or that I got bored. I couldn't stand it and that is a great achievement.
Death to Smoochy is one of those films whose assumed plot we've always fantasized about; especially those of us with young children in the home. Barney the Dinosaur (1992-2010), Teletubbies (1997- 2001), Yo-Gabba-Gabba (2007-Present) inspire just as many kids to use their imaginations and jump up and down as they inspire grown- ups to take up Valium. So why not release a movie about a beloved children's character meeting his demise.Well I'm not sure people knew quite what they were getting into with this one but if you can deal with Edward Norton's painful earnestness and Robin William's mania there's actually quite a lot to like here. Atmospherically the tone is dark and caustically funny. Director Danny DeVito creates a cynical media-centric universe in this film where crime and corruption ooze into the folds of children's programming. Smoochy the Rhino (Edward Norton) is a real believer in the power of his message to kids which is at odds with his angry rival Rainbow Randy (Robin Williams). As a result Smoochy naivety was seen by many as unrealistic and even annoying. I agree but a lot of bad things happen to the pink rhino so to me, it washes out.
(53%) It's no real mystery why this failed financially. Just look at that DVD cover, doesn't look much like an R rated black comedy featuring criminals and murder now does it? This is very much a mixed bag of dark humour intermixed with kid friendly fluff that does have some quite fun contrast, but the gags aren't as plentiful, or as good, as this really needs to properly satisfy. Robin Williams has a good proportion of the laughs, but he is a bit underused here, while Norton's character is just a bit too goody-goody to be a relatable person. There are some fans of this out there, and I can see why as it does have appeal in its talented cast and quite bizarre sense of humour, but a universal comedy for the masses this ain't.