'Death to Smoochy' is the latest work by two of my favorite entertainers: Edward 
Norton and Robin Williams.  This Danny Devito directed comedy chronicles the 
seedy underworld that exists beneath children's television programming.

The film opens with a wonderful caricature of a children's show staring Rainbow 
Randolph (Robin Williams).  This wonderfully sardonic scene pulls no punches.  
The scenery around the children's corral concerns only money.  At the end of 
Randolph's song, he instantly starts promoting Rainbow Randolph paraphernalia in 
a flurry of lights and color to rival Vegas.

The next scene we see Randolph in a dark restaurant taking a suitcase full of 
money in exchange for making sure a couple's child gets extra airtime in the 
next show.  Randolph accepts the money, and the couple turns out to be FBI 
agents.  Rainbow Randolph is off the air and the network is desperately looking 
for a replacement who's "squeaky clean".  The only person they can find is 
Smoochy the Rhino played by Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton).  The long and the 
short of the plot is that Sheldon is completely clean cut in an industry that is 
completely corrupt.  The children's hospital foundation (who's name escapes me) 
is portrayed as a major criminal organization that skims profits in every 
venture into which it enters. So clean cut is Sheldon that he's cutting the 
foundation out of the profits from the Smoochy ice show.  This goes too far, and 
Merv Green the foundation president orders a hit on Smoochy.

'Death to Smoochy' has been panned throughout the media, and frankly, I don't 
entirely understand why.  Danny Devito has elicited some very fine performances 
out of a number of very fine actors (himself included). The script, and 
direction makes fun of everything touches.  Moreover, and more importantly, it's 
funny.  I went with my mom (who runs a nursery school), and we both laughed out 
loud through most of its dark irreverence.  

This film is one of my favorite comedies of the year along with 'Zoolander'.  
First and foremost, its humor is hysterical.  Secondly, it has depth.  There are 
numerous subplots, and subtlety that's hinted at and never explored, all of 
which combine to create a rich movie. This is rare in comedy, a genre that often 
resigns itself to simply making people laugh and not think.  'Death to Smoochy' 
genuinely and excellently delivers both.