Modern comedies typically rake in the cash and pile up laughs with tasteless and vulgar humor. That said, the humor in "Death to Smoochy" is not just tasteless, it is truly offensive while avoiding any reasonable expectation of laughter. This movie is a dark comedy that tries to appear lighthearted and fails miserably.
The plot of the movie follows the rise of Edward Norton's character from a lowly drug-therapy clinic entertainer to a Barney-like purple rhinoceros named Smoochy. Norton's character achieves the position of Smoochy with a big television company as a replacement for Rainbow Randolph (Robin Williams). While Smoochy is acquiring fame and fortune, Rainbow Randolph is forced to beg a midget for a place to sleep. Williams constantly overplays his role, maintaining an annoying loud volume that is in contrast with the rest of the movie.
While at his new company, Smoochy realizes that a web of corruption surrounds him. The child entertainment business for which he works becomes nothing more than the brainchild of cold marketing executives, who happen to have mafia-like connections on the side.
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However, Smoochy is not an entertainer who can be corrupted. Bravo. Despite constant death threats, he organizes a charity ice show benefit to the dismay of his agent (Danny Devito) who then seeks to arrange Smoochy's assassination. The number of people engaged in the plot to kill Smoochy rises to nearly every character we have been introduced to at this point. Viewers are left to wonder if the writers must have been on a field trip and left the script open in a Word document for the janitor to work on.
The climax of "Death to Smoochy" is predictable and silly. There are no surprises here to wake you up from your viewing slumber. The bad guys are all stopped, caught and punished by friendly Irish mafia men, not to be confused with the thugs from the Charity group.
Aside from a plot that is not great but workable, the humor is what truly fails in this movie. If you have ever cringed after watching someone say a joke that they think is really funny and no one laughs, you will be wincing a lot during this movie. Personally, I would both have to be paid well by the marketers of this movie and have the use of those large "LAUGHTER" lights for me to chuckle in the right places. The big gags revolve around a mentally retarded boxer playing a cow bell, Williams being loud and hostile and Nazis screaming "Heil Smoochy" at an anti-Semitic rally in the true style of the Third Reich. In all fairness, I laughed a few times during this movie. Emphasis on few. These miraculous spouts of mirth were sporadic enough to be discounted.
"Death to Smoochy" is a total failure as a comedy, but it is still somewhat watchable. The cinematography, while eye jarring in the beginning, provides some interesting visuals and appears fresh even when the jokes are not. Also, the obligatory romance for Norton, while not believable, at least provides a break from Williams' character.
I was seduced into seeing this movie by one of my favorite actors: the previously unblemished Norton. Against all odds, I hoped that this movie would surprise me and actually be good, despite the fact that I had heard horrendous things about it for a week. With Norton's track record of "Primal Fear," "The Score," "Fight Club," "Rounders," "The People Versus Larry Flynt" and of course "American History X," I was excited to see what he would accomplish in this movie. For Devito's sake, I recently saw and was impressed by "The Heist" reminding myself that he is still one of the greats.
"Death to Smoochy" tries to be one of those cynical but genuinely funny movies and ends up falling short by a few touchdowns. It is neither amusing nor intricate enough to hold someone's interest, and the worst part is the inflated length equaling nearly two hours of viewing dissatisfaction. I would heartily recommend either avoiding this movie entirely or leaving directly after the "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones" trailer.
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