I was reading through the numerous positive reviews for this film and I find it amazing that different people can watch the same movie and get totally different things from it. I will give you that it points out that Barney and such may have been started for a greater good but then get thrown into the gutter for profits, but I didn't need this movie to show me that, it is obvious. This movie has a stellar cast, a decent director with a track record, but fails miserably at being FUNNY. Yeah, I got a chuckle out of the step-dad song, but one chuckle does not make a movie.
Let's start with the positives. Edward Norton is Smoochy and surprisingly handles the role well. He seemed to take the character he played throughout Primal Fear and turned him into a guy who wants to change the world for the better.
Catherine Keener is the girl, who is all about the money until Smoochy walks into her life. I like Keener, who was wasted in her role, but did a good job with the part she was given.
There are your positives, now to the negatives (I don't think IMDB gives me enough space to truly handle them all, so I will condense them):
Jon Stewart's role was pathetic and his acting was as bad. The scene with Williams and him in the car was just disturbing, and he brought nothing to the table.
Danny Devito tried like always, but I don't know if it was a problem with directing himself, but his performance seemed flat and his direction...
Robin Williams tried TOO HARD TO BE FUNNY. His character was horribly written and lacked the depth that was necessary to create the illusion of caring for his down-on-his-luck Rainbow (unlike One Hour Photo, where his performance was perfect).
All the rest of the cast stunk up the joint, but I really don't think it was from lack of trying, I think the material just didn't merit this movie to be made. I mean the script has Irish mobsters, clowns, midgets, a drugged out hitman who was an ex-children's show host, a character named Rainbow, a character named Smoochy, a charity organization doing mob-like tactics, a retarded former prizefighter who rings a bell, and Nazis. It was not funny at all. It was not insightful, unless you didn't know that people (including those behind children's shows) try and make money. It smelled of a Shakes the Clown rip-off, and anyone who has seen that movie knows that a rip-off of that movie has to stink (especially Mr. Williams, who was in both).
I don't blame Mr. Devito, I think he directed a movie made with a horrible script as well as could be expected. His choice to take it very dark was the only way to salvage an absolute mess. It didn't work, but at least he tried.
The real problem for me is that Barney is ultra-annoying and should be an easy target to lampoon. This movie instead became as annoying as Barney and on top of that offensive to downright obscene in parts and it couldn't make me laugh. The entire ending ice-capades sequence was so over-the-top (not the credits one which was even MORE over-the-top, but the actual ice show) it just made you want to scream in disgust that someone greenlighted this piece of trash. Tack on the credits sequence which screamed "FILLER", and this movie just overstays it's welcome. Actually I think I should have just shut it off after the first half-hour because it wasn't going to get any better.
If you actually liked this drivel, Hollywood has a track-record of making these types of movies ten times more often than a really good movie, so you are in luck. I can't believe I agree with Roger Ebert, this movie was horrible and I am in shock that this movie is averaging a 6.6 on IMDB. That shows you how bad movies have become, but I gave this movie what it deserved: a 1 out of 10. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME, life is too short. If I can save one person from wasting time watching this film, this review has been worthwhile.
Let's start with the positives. Edward Norton is Smoochy and surprisingly handles the role well. He seemed to take the character he played throughout Primal Fear and turned him into a guy who wants to change the world for the better.
Catherine Keener is the girl, who is all about the money until Smoochy walks into her life. I like Keener, who was wasted in her role, but did a good job with the part she was given.
There are your positives, now to the negatives (I don't think IMDB gives me enough space to truly handle them all, so I will condense them):
Jon Stewart's role was pathetic and his acting was as bad. The scene with Williams and him in the car was just disturbing, and he brought nothing to the table.
Danny Devito tried like always, but I don't know if it was a problem with directing himself, but his performance seemed flat and his direction...
Robin Williams tried TOO HARD TO BE FUNNY. His character was horribly written and lacked the depth that was necessary to create the illusion of caring for his down-on-his-luck Rainbow (unlike One Hour Photo, where his performance was perfect).
All the rest of the cast stunk up the joint, but I really don't think it was from lack of trying, I think the material just didn't merit this movie to be made. I mean the script has Irish mobsters, clowns, midgets, a drugged out hitman who was an ex-children's show host, a character named Rainbow, a character named Smoochy, a charity organization doing mob-like tactics, a retarded former prizefighter who rings a bell, and Nazis. It was not funny at all. It was not insightful, unless you didn't know that people (including those behind children's shows) try and make money. It smelled of a Shakes the Clown rip-off, and anyone who has seen that movie knows that a rip-off of that movie has to stink (especially Mr. Williams, who was in both).
I don't blame Mr. Devito, I think he directed a movie made with a horrible script as well as could be expected. His choice to take it very dark was the only way to salvage an absolute mess. It didn't work, but at least he tried.
The real problem for me is that Barney is ultra-annoying and should be an easy target to lampoon. This movie instead became as annoying as Barney and on top of that offensive to downright obscene in parts and it couldn't make me laugh. The entire ending ice-capades sequence was so over-the-top (not the credits one which was even MORE over-the-top, but the actual ice show) it just made you want to scream in disgust that someone greenlighted this piece of trash. Tack on the credits sequence which screamed "FILLER", and this movie just overstays it's welcome. Actually I think I should have just shut it off after the first half-hour because it wasn't going to get any better.
If you actually liked this drivel, Hollywood has a track-record of making these types of movies ten times more often than a really good movie, so you are in luck. I can't believe I agree with Roger Ebert, this movie was horrible and I am in shock that this movie is averaging a 6.6 on IMDB. That shows you how bad movies have become, but I gave this movie what it deserved: a 1 out of 10. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME, life is too short. If I can save one person from wasting time watching this film, this review has been worthwhile.