Death to Smoochy (2002)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Danny DeVito

Writer (WGA):

Adam Resnick (written by)

Release Date:

29 March 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Musical | Thriller

Tagline:

Get ready for an unexpected hit.

Plot:

When he is fired for taking payola, the host for a children's television show plots revenge against his replacement, a rhino named Smoochy.

Plot Keywords:

Television | Revenge | Rhinoceros | Kids Show Host | Ratings

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Rainbow Randolph
Edward Norton	...	Sheldon Mopes / Smoochy the Rhino
Catherine Keener	...	Nora Wells
Danny DeVito	...	Burke Bennett
Jon Stewart	...	Marion Frank Stokes
Pam Ferris	...	Tommy Cotter
Danny Woodburn	...	Angelo Pike
Michael Rispoli	...	Spinner Dunn
Harvey Fierstein	...	Merv Green
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Buggy Ding Dong
Craig Eldridge	...	Husband
Judy White	...	Wife
Tim MacMenamin	...	Danny
Bruce McFee	...	Roy
Glen Cross	...	Jimmy

Also Known As:

Tötet Smoochy (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexual references.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA | UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #38779) | Iceland:LH (video rating) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | Germany:16 | Norway:7 | Philippines:PG-13 | Spain:13 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The ice skating stunts at the end of the movie were choreographed and skated by Canadian skater Elvis Stojko.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Sheldon Mopes runs off the ice to chase Burke Bennett, he is wearing hockey skates. Once he's on the pavement in the hallway and when he's outside, his skates are missing (the shots showing him removing them were cut to improve the pace of the sequence).

Quotes:

Sheldon: Captain Kangaroo, like Jesus Christ, was someone you could really believe in. With those guys it wasn't about the bells and whistles and the rickety rackety, it was all about the work. Especially Jesus.

Movie Connections:

References American Psycho (2000)

Soundtrack:

Rainbow Randolph Theme Song

Smart, subtle and smooth(-chy)

It figures that Death to Smoochy didn't get too much advertisement and recommendations...it handles about a sensible and often occurring topic. Entertainment programs for children that are turned into big business, rules and controlled by people who don't care about anything but money, fame and commercializing. Death to Smootch shows how it's perfectly possible to cover up a world of bribery, fraud and blackmail behind the curtains of a colorful and jolly kid-show. Edward Nortons stars as Smoochy the Rhino. His character is dragged head over heals into the business when old-timer Rainbow Randolph is convicted of illegal actions. Smoochy is a pure character and his only intentions are to educate children and enlighten them with some important values of life, but he soon gets faced with the facts that the producers don't care about this at all. Death to Smoochy really succeeds in critisizing the greed in the media-business and manages to portray the producers and sponsors as a real bunch of vultures. It also gives a good image of the downward spiral of insanity someone is going through when he's borne down on the lee shore. Certainly recommended for the intriguing story and surrounding but in the very first place, for the brilliant characters that are involved in this story. The Irish mobsters impress and entertain the most...The sequences where they're "taking care of everything" are the funniest parts in this movie. Director DeVito (his fifth movie as a director and maybe the best of them all) cast himself terrifically as the greedy shorty who introduces himself as the new impresario. Jon Stewart's character is memorable because he has the dorkiest haircut I've ever seen. And then there's Edward Norton of course...needless to say that he's a very solid actor who acts like a true professional, no matter if the production is huge or not. Give Death to Smoochy a watch...it'll certainly be one of the most sparklingly satires you'll ever see.