Death to Smoochy (2002)
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42% of critics liked it
(119 reviews) -
60% of users liked it
(58,992 ratings)
Danny DeVito steps behind the camera for this darkly funny satire that combines elements of Barney and Friends with the real-life Pee-Wee Herman scandal while recalling the director's previously twisted black comedies Throw Momma From the Train (1987) and The War of the Roses (1989). Robin… More Danny DeVito steps behind the camera for this darkly funny satire that combines elements of Barney and Friends with the real-life Pee-Wee Herman scandal while recalling the director's previously twisted black comedies Throw Momma From the Train (1987) and The War of the Roses (1989). Robin Williams stars as Randolph Smiley, a popular children's show host known professionally as "Rainbow Randolph." Dismissed from his beloved job when he's caught taking payola, Randolph becomes increasingly mentally unhinged and the target of his delusional revenge fantasies is Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton), otherwise known as Smoochy, the fuchsia rhino character that has replaced him and soared to national popularity. Randolph soon learns that his ex-girlfriend and network executive Nora Wells (Catherine Keener) is sleeping with Sheldon, so he sets out to kill Smoochy, egged on by an unexpected ally: corporate president Marion Frank Stokes (Jon Stewart), who should be profiting from Smoochy's rise to fame, except for the fact that he and his cronies are unable to control the idealistic Sheldon's on-air agenda. Death to Smoochy (2002) co-stars Harvey Fierstein, Vincent Shiavelli, and Michael Rispoli. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Directed By
- Danny DeVito
- Written By
- Adam Resnick
- Genres
- Comedy
- In Theaters
- Mar 29, 2002 Wide
- Studio
- Warner Bros. Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
A dark comedy that blows up like an exploding cigar, leaving nothing much behind but smoke, noise and a bad taste.
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J. Hoberman, Village Voice
Death to Smoochy is often very funny, but what's even more remarkable is the integrity of DeVito's misanthropic vision.
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Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
I'm sure that some country, maybe France or something, will hail this as a work of genius, because it is so incredibly awful.
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Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
A blacker than black comedy.
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Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
This is a particularly toxic little bonbon, palatable to only a chosen and very jaundiced few.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Robin Williams
as Randolph Smiley AKA 'Rainbow Randolph'
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Matthew Arkin
as Save the Rhino Man
- Hank Azaria
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Adam Bryant
as Man in Crowd #2
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Michael Copeman
as Reporter #1
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Danny DeVito
as Burke Bennett
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Pam Ferris
as Tommy Cotter
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Louis Giambalvo
as Sonny Gordon
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Todd Graff
as Skip Kleinman
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Richard Hamilton
as Old Vagrant
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Phil Jarrett
as Reporter #3
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Catherine Keener
as Nora Wells
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Peter Keleghan
as News Anchor
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Bill Lake
as Bartender
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Gerry Quigley
as Ian
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Fred Scialla
as Man in Crowd
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Tracey Walter
as Ben Franks
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Harvey Fierstein
as Merv Green
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Vincent Schiavelli
as Buggy Ding Dong
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Philip Craig
as Senator
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Bruce McFee
as Roy
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Vito Rezza
as Lead Cop
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Nick Taylor
as Henry the Thug
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Johnny "Cha-Cha" Ciarcia
as Autograph Man
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Michael Rispoli
as Spinner Dunn
- Salma Hayek
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Edward Norton
as Sheldon Mopes
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Jon Stewart
as Marion Frank Stokes
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Danny Woodburn
as Angelo Pike
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Angela Bullock
as Reporter #6
- Elvis Stojko
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Thomas Lyons
as Reporter #5
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John Cleland
as John
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Craig Eldridge
as Husband
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Judy White
as Wife
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Tim MacMenamin
as Danny
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Glen Cross
as Jimmy
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Richard A. Cocchiaro Jr.
as Mitch the Thug
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Colin Moult
as Rhinette/Krinkle Kid #1
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Nikolai Tichtchenko
as Rhinette/Krinkle Kid #2
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Martin Klebba
as Rhinette/Krinkle Kid #3
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Tonya Renee Banks
as Rhinette/Krinkle Kid #4
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Christy Artran
as Rhinette/Krinkle Kid #5
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Natasha Kinne
as Smoochy's Secretary
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Shawn Byfield
as Rickets
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Melissa DiMarco
as Tara
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Dan Duran
as Hunter
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James Carroll
as Reporter #2
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Suzanne Leonard Feliz
as Reporter #4
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Robert M. Sussman
as Reporter #7
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George Blumenthal
as Reporter #8
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Hugo Jansuzian
as Hispanic Dad
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Silvia Rojas
as Hispanic Mom
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Mario Andres Torres
as Hispanic Boy
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Sabrina Jansuzian
as Hispanic Girl
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Richard Ziman
as Man in Crowd #3
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Frank Anello
as NYPD
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Samantha Cordero
as Little Girl
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Rothaford Gray
as Ellis
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Dave Brown
as McCall
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James Binkley
as Cop #1
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Matthew Dylan Roberts
as Stagehand
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Lou Cantres
as Little Girl's Dad
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Lauren Flanigan
as Opera Diva
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Cara Wakelin
as Princess





