This one’s a little tricky. I’m doing my best to try to figure out exactly when I would have seen this. 2002 is before I moved to California, right when I’m working at the comic book shop. How would I have missed this? It makes no sense. I didn’t see it in the theater. I should have, but I didn’t. This was one of those movies I caught later, probably on DVD, probably because I was already deep into anything Robin Williams did that leaned a little darker. And when I finally watched it, I remember thinking two things almost back to back:
First: How did this movie get made? Second: How did people not get this?
Because Death to Smoochy isn’t just dark — it’s messed up. It’s a movie about children’s television that openly hates children’s television, and honestly, that alone was probably enough to doom it on release. I think Barney is definitely on the decline in 2002, so this missed its true satire window; it would have had it in the 90s. But since that time, I have seen this film easily a hundred times. Every time it’s on, I find new elements that I love. I find new characters in it that I love. And it’s Robin Williams at his absolute best.
I’ll keep the plot quick, because like most movies I love, the less you know going in, the better. Rainbow Randolph is the biggest children’s TV star in New York. He’s trusted, adored, and making money hand over fist. Think Barney, but with more attitude and way more merch. Then one bad decision later — caught taking bribes — he’s gone. No apology tour, no redemption, just wiped off the map. Gone.
Into that vacuum steps Sheldon Mopes. Sheldon is way too innocent and way too naive, and inside a purple rhinoceros costume named Smoochy. Through a mix of luck and timing, he becomes the new face of children’s television, and that’s when everything starts to get fun. And that is where I will leave you with the storyline and the plot, because the more you know, the more I would be stealing from your enjoyment.
Where this movie really shines is the cast — and thankfully, it’s stacked with people who understood exactly what kind of movie they were in. Robin Williams’ turn as Rainbow Randolph is genuinely unsettling insanity. This is post–One Hour Photo, post–Insomnia Robin, fully leaning into the uncomfortable stuff. It feels weird having to tell you movies that Robin Williams is in, but let me name just a few of my favorites. I love that he’s in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen as the King of the Moon. He is credited in the cast as Ray D. Tutto. Fun fact: I think he did it because he didn’t get paid, and Terry Gilliam was running out of money with the film. They wouldn’t approve of him to play the role. Something like that. I love him in Shakes The Clown as Mime Jerry. I liked him in the movie Toys, which I think is super underrated. Definitely due for a re-watch. Oh, and of course, as Popeye. I mean, he was never better than that. Anyway, back to this flick. Rainbow is a narcissistic, coked-out maniac who loses it all. He’s funny, but not in a safe way. You laugh, then immediately feel a little gross about it. It’s honestly the perfect Robin Williams role because he’s always catered more to I feel safer comedy, but in this movie, it’s the insane comedian that he is. Unrated brilliance.
Edward Norton, on the other hand, goes the complete opposite direction. His Sheldon Mopes is insanely nice— the kind of guy who believes the good in everything. Norton plays him so straight that it almost becomes disturbing. This is 2002, so a few years from his ’96 Primal Fear, People vs. Larry Flynt, and then after that Fight Club run. I totally forgot about American History X, Rounders, and The Score. He makes all of those before he makes this movie. This is honestly like the best run of an actor for like three or four years. It’s crazy. Anyway, he is absolutely spectacular in this role. He plays it so ho-hum. It’s so great and such a contradiction to Robin Williams. Honestly, after watching it for as much as I have, I don’t think they could have found a better complementary actor to Robin Williams. Who else is in this?
Catherine Keener plays Nora, Sheldon’s producer and handler, and she’s the anchor that keeps the movie from floating off into pure madness. My favorite role she’s ever been in is Being John Malkovich. But this is easily a high, high, high ranking number two. And I can’t forget her playing Harper Lee in Capote, which is also pretty amazing. There’s way more cast to get to, which I will, but now I have to talk about probably the second biggest genius from this movie.
And that is Danny DeVito — both in front of and behind the camera. As an actor, he plays Burke Bennett, a talent agent who may or may not be mob-adjacent. But as the director, he again, is the perfect director for this type of film. After realizing he made the 1996 movie Matilda, you realize how he’s the perfect director to make a movie that spoofs a children’s television show. I mean, he uses the same innocent aesthetic in everything, but with this black comedy twist that had to have him and Robin Williams laughing off-screen every second something was filmed. The only other thing I will say about the great Daniel DeVito from Neptune, New Jersey, is that this guy is just comedy brilliance, and he and Robin Williams together were just comedy gold. Shame they never got to do much more than this.
The supporting cast only adds to the madness. Jon Stewart shows up as Corporate Kidnet executive. This is early Daily Show Stewart, and he’s perfect. This is like three years into him doing the Daily Show, so it hits probably at the perfect time where his comedy is just awesome. It’s especially funny in hindsight, knowing where his career eventually went. Pam Ferris — yes, Miss Trunchbull from Matilda — is unforgettable as the Irish mob matriarch. She is awesome in this. I also think she’s the aunt who gets inflated in one of the Harry Potter films. I could be wrong, though. The late Vincent Schiavelli appears as Buggy Ding Dong, another children’s show host who is addicted to heroin and gets hired to be an assassin. It’s just too good. You might not know the name, but you absolutely know the face. He is John O’Connor in the Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai. Passed away at the age of 57. Absolutely amazing presence in this film. Harvey Fierstein pops up as the Parade of Charity of Hope Organizer, and his delivery alone adds another layer of absurdity. Danny Woodburn is floating around the chaos. You would know him as Mickey from the Seinfeld TV show. Which is even crazier because he’s only in seven episodes, but you would think he was in like fifty of them. Honestly, I’m probably forgetting like five people, but you have to imagine that this film is just amazing casting.
And as always, my favorite part of any movie is the quotes. This has a handful of them that I’ve used honestly every day since I’ve seen this movie.
“I’m Rainbow fucking Randolph!” – Rainbow Randolph
“It’s a rocket ship!” – Sheldon
“You’d better grow eyes in the back of your head, you horned piece of shit, because I’m not resting until worms are crawling up your foam-rubber ass. I’m going on safari, motherfucker. Sa-fa-ri. Pffffffft!!!” – Rainbow Rand
“Look what you’ve done to this place. It’s all Diane Fosse. When I lived here, it was Bob Fosse. Right there, I had a big painting of a naked chick holding a little plant; very tasteful, no bush… not a picture of your fucking mother!” – Rainbow Randolph
“Friends come in all sizes” – Rainbow Randolph
“Hello, little nipple-nibbler. The rhino’s a Nazi!” – Rainbow Randolph
Honestly, I could add every line that Robin Williams has in this movie because it’s quotable. It’s just a treasure trove of things you will be saying over and over again. God, this movie’s so awesome. I checked to see who had this streaming, and it looks like it’s on Amazon Prime for $4. So, like always, if you don’t like it, come find me, and I can give you $4 singles right back to put into your wallet. But honestly, if you want an unhinged, insane Robin Williams for about two hours, this is about as good a flick as he ever made. The funny thing is, I think Danny DeVito and Robin Williams knew each other from the 1970s, when he worked on Taxi, and Robin Williams was on Mork & Mindy. It took them almost thirty years to work with one another. But man, when they did, it was absolute lights-out awesome. Honestly, a must-see if you enjoy black comedy.
“I never saw Venice.” – Buggy Ding Dong
