Death to Smoochy

Movie Title: Death to Smoochy
Official Website (it might still work): Death to Smoochy
Rating (out of 10): 7
Reviewed By: Michael Stevens
Buy the: Video/DVD \| Soundtrack
The Review:

I hate you, you hate me, we are a dysfunctional family, and a shot rings out and Barney hits the floor, no more purple dinosaur! These are the lyrics to a nice little jingle that I remember from the days when kids couldn’t get enough of that annoying, singing creature from TV. I also remember a certain Paul Reubens (Blow), AKA Pee Wee Herman, who ruled the kiddy airways before Barney and before he disgraced himself at an adult theater. What does this have to do with the movie Death to Smoochy? Well, the movie’s storyline is rather similar in nature to real life stories, though some strange plot twists are thrown in for kicks.

Our movie begins with popular kid TV star Rainbow Randolph (Robin Williams from Patch Adams) getting busted for taking money on the side. This sends him into a downward spiral that leaves him penniless, while his network is left scrambling to find a replacement for their top-rated star. The network goes after a wholesome person to help improve its own image, and they find this guy who isn’t known outside of drug rehab clinics where he performs. This guy is Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton, The Score) who is Smoochy the rhino. Well Smoochy’s show takes off and becomes a big hit, which is good for network execs Nora Wells (Catherine Keener from 8MM) and Marion Frank Stokes (Jon Stewart, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back), but bad for Rainbow Randolph who is holding out hopes of getting his show back. Since Smoochy doesn’t appear to be going anywhere, Randolph goes after Smoochy in various ways to dethrone him. Eventually he does succeed at getting Smoochy canned, but only temporarily until people discover that Randolph was responsible for putting Smoochy at a Neo-Nazi rally. But unbeknownst to Smoochy or Randolph, a secret underground world of kids shows mafia is trying to cash in on Smoochy’s success, only Smoochy isn’t playing ball, so they want to knock him off. Eventually Randolph and Smoochy become friends, but will it be in time to save Smoochy from a date with death from Buggy Ding Dong (Vincent Schiavelli)?

Others in this Danny DeVito directed film are DeVito (Heist), Pam Ferris, Harvey Fierstein, Danny Woodburn, Martin Klebba, and Michael Rispoli as the mentally deficient Spinner. Writing credits belong to Adam Resnick, who also wrote David Letterman’s favorite film, Cabin Boy.

Robin Williams is good in this film since most of the time he is his old comic dynamo, but he really does not get enough screen time. Instead Norton gets too much face time, and I have never really found him to be that funny of an actor (he does fine with serious roles). Death to Smoochy is dark, but the comedy is hit and miss (and as I already said, the funny parts come mainly from Williams). So, Williams makes the film, but even then it can only muster a rating of seven couches.