I guess my tagline says it all…we're you planning to see it? I didn't think so. I bet the mainstream movie critic reviews scared you off. Or was it the trailer? If it's any consolation, I wasn't planning to see "Death to Smoochy " either. I hated the trailer I saw it recently, and Robin Williams tends to be a little over the top for me with his ranting, ever-morphing characters. But a fellow reviewer wanted to see it so I agreed to tag along.
Well let me say that I haven't laughed this hard at a movie for some time. This dark comedy uses its extremely talented cast in entertaining and unconventional ways. For example, contrast Robin Williams as the caustic clown Rainbow Randolph versus his more traditional roles in other movies (Mrs. Doubtfire). The same could be said for Edward Norton's "Smoochy" (think "politically-correct Barney") versus his past roles in "American History X" or "Fight Club". I thought this was a brilliant bit of un-type casting, making it a standout for that alone.
And despite the silly premise of the movie, I was genuinely interested in the characters, and found myself quickly sucked into their demented world of children's entertainment. If you've been reading my reviews for a while, you know from what I've said above, this movie is right up my alley. Unique and funny (albeit in unconventional ways). Give it a try, but leave the kids at home! Despite the premise, this is no family movie! J |
