Death to Smoochy
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| Death To Smoochy | |
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| Directed by | Danny DeVito |
| Starring | Robin Williams Edward Norton Danny DeVito Catherine Keener Jon Stewart |
| Release date(s) | March 29, 2002 |
| Running time | 109 min. |
| Country | USA/UK/Germany |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $50,000,000 |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Death to Smoochy is a 2002 dark comedy film starring Robin Williams, Edward Norton, and Catherine Keener. It also features Jon Stewart and Danny DeVito, who is also the film's director. Death to Smoochy is known for its mostly dry and vulgar humor, particularly Williams' occasional cursing outbursts. This film also shows him playing a role very against type, as a corrupted, nearly psychopathic TV host.
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[edit] Plot summary
Rainbow Randolph (Williams) enjoys his life and career as a happy, although corrupt, children's television show host, but he is pressured into accepting a bribe from a mother who wants her child to appear on the show. After being fired in disgrace over the bribery and having his timeslot replaced by the sappy Sheldon Mopes, also known as Smoochy the Rhino (Norton), he suddenly finds himself unemployed and homeless. In an effort to return to his life in the spotlight, Randolph develops several insane schemes to sabotage the Smoochy show, turn the Rhino into a dead duck, and regain his time slot, as well as his status as a television icon. One of these schemes involves using several variations of the word penis live on the air, much to the horror of many.
When not fighting for creative control, Sheldon tries to maintain a stable relationship with fellow employee Nora (Keener)- who later becomes Sheldon's love interest. Upon hearing about this relationship, Randolph decides to make it known about the wild times that he and Nora once had, going as far as to comment on how "limber" Nora was. Somewhat of a warped love triangle develops, as Nora completely denies having any feelings for Rainbow anymore.
Beneath all of what is happening around him, Mopes engages in unwanted relationships with the Irish mob, as well as a charity run by Merv Green (Harvey Fierstein) that is more imposing than beneficial. The mob confronts Sheldon in his new office, demanding that their close friend and former pro boxer Spinner get a spot on the Smoochy show. Smoochy, fearing for his life, accepts the "offer" and puts Spinner on the show. Spinner, after many years of taking blows to the head, is mentally handicapped and speaks like a very loud five-year-old.
The corrupt "Parade of Hope" Foundation comes into play as Burke Bennett (DeVito) purposely bumps into Sheldon- who is drinking orange juice- at a bar. Bennett comes forward with an offer to Sheldon for full executive control of the Smoochy show. Not knowing who Burke is associated with, the naive Mopes accepts. Burke does indeed get Sheldon full creative control, but later that week signs Smoochy up for a touring ice skating show. Sheldon strongly opposes the idea, claiming that it is unnecessary "bells, whistles, and ricket-a-racket-a". Bennett urges Mopes to reconsider, but to no avail. Later on, Sheldon is confronted by charity boss Merv Green (Fierstein), who twists Sheldon's arm into doing the ice show.
The show goes on, but what Smoochy does not know is that Burke has hired a drug addict (also a former kiddy show host) to take him out during the show with a sniper rifle. The assassin almost carries out his deed, until Rainbow (who has ultimately joined forces with Sheldon) finds out about the assassination attempt and stops it. After a very uncharacteristic violent outburst, Sheldon finally sees eye to eye with Randolph. The two decide to join forces (with Nora as well) and continue the ice tour together as Rainbow Randolph and Smoochy the Rhino.
[edit] Production
The movie was filmed in Toronto and New York City. Including Union Station, and all of the TV studio scenes were shot at the Toronto Film Studios. The scenes involving ice-skating were filmed at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
[edit] Critical Reception and Box Office Results
The film was poorly received by most film critics. Though it received a wide release, playing in some 2,164 theaters its opening weekend in the United States, the film was a box office disaster, grossing $4,266,463 its opening weekend, and a mere $8,382,691 overall, with negligible foreign box office receipts.[1] Considering it had a production budget of some $50 million, Death to Smoochy was a financial fiasco. However, it has since developed a cult following.
[edit] Notes
- In the final scene when Smoochy and Randall are flying in the show, Randall does a move in the air that Robin Williams did in the movie Hook in which he portrayed the adult version of Peter Pan.
[edit] Trivia
- Jon Stewart often mentions the fact that he was the "fourth male lead" in the movie as an example of his acting ability or lack thereof as he suggests. The film is a frequent in-joke on The Daily Show.
[edit] Taglines
- He's Big, He's Blue, He's Smoochy... and He's got to DIE!
- Get ready for an unexpected hit.
- It's the rhino vs. the wino... with a little help from the mob.
