Review of Death to Smoochy (2002) by Stuart K — 02 Sep 2011

Danny DeVito as a director has made some great black comedies, including Throw Momma From The Train (1987) and War of the Roses (1989), as well as the dark fantasy Matilda (1996). With this, he took a blackly comic look at the cut-throat world of children's TV programming.

It was a huge flop, but it didn't deserve to go that way, it's a very funny film with some great performances. When successful children's TV show host "Rainbow Randolph" Smiley (Robin Williams) is caught in an FBI sting where he accepts a bribes from parents for their kids to go on his show, he's out of a job and is replaced by Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton) and his creation, Smoochy the Rhino.

Smoochy is an instant success, but Randolph wants revenge and thinks of ways of bringing Mopes down. However, Mopes is having problems of his own, he wants total control over his show but has to battle hardened producer Nora Wells (Catherine Keener), corrupt executive Marion Stokes (Jon Stewart) and his shady agent Burke Bennett (Danny DeVito), as well as the Irish mob led by Tommy Cotter (Pam Ferris), so everyone is playing off each other.

It's a very funny film, and Williams is best when doing stuff like this, and it's good to see Norton playing against type in a role like this. Comedies like this are rare, and you won't see another one like this for a long time now, shame really and DeVito should be directing more films, as he does it with panache and confidence.