2002’s "Death to Smoochy", directed by Danny Devito.
Starring Robin Williams, Edward Norton, John Stewart,
Catherine Keener, Pam Ferris, Danny Woodburn, and Michael Rispoli.
In the wickedly satirical “Death to Smoochy”, we’re introduced to modern day world,
where Williams is a children’s entertainer, appearing on a successful children’s
show. Morally compromised and generally unpleasant, he is arrested by the FBI
for taking bribes from overeager parents paying to have their children on his
show. Starless, the corporate network needs a face to sell children’s lunch
boxes, and they demand someone who isn’t into alcoholism and bribery. We see
the hopelessly naïve Norton, who sings folk songs for addicts at a recovery
centre, get approached by manager Keener to star in his own show. Norton eats
it up like a gluten free hot dog bun, but struggles with how the network wants
him to be a corporate pitchman for various unhealthy products. He gets an agent
(Devito), who helps him develop an ego so necessary in the world of show
business. But there are various pressures competing against Norton, from
Williams, obsessed with getting revenge against the man he feels took his job,
from Devito, who tires of Norton’s idealistic ways and may be working with the
corrupt local charity, and from an opioid afflicted hitman, who may sober up
long enough to take Norton out.
It takes a lot of talent to make a movie as strange,
comical, and commercially and critically unsuccessful as “DtS”. It both offers
the perspective of a black satire and a children’s fantasy, as Norton’s
character is not acting when he dons the purple suit and sings to children. His
obliviousness to the greed and misanthropic behaviours of the very cynical
world depicted here make his attitude all the more jarring. Devito keeps things
strange, with his bizarre camera angles, bright colours, and goofy send ups of
the corporate world and charities that could double as the mafia. I’m also
entranced by Robin Williams’ work in his less successful movies (like in Fathers' Day), as his hyper spastic routines take on a desperate and deranged air,
potentially showing us a glimpse of the man who would end up taking his own
life. Finally, the movie also has a few musical moments, where characters
perform flips and fly through the air. Flawed everywhere but in it’s
originality, the foul mouthed “DtS” is hilariously in a league of it’s own.
3.5/5
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