Rodney (Dick Shawn) is having trouble delivering the news, as he is supposed to, from his job as an anchorman for a local station. There's just too much horrible stuff to report. Besides that, his life is in the toilet, too, having gone through a bad divorce. So, he decides, why not make a movie about the cruelties of life and end the film with his own gunshot suicide? For much of the footage, Rodney only has to visit his relatives to garner the support he needs to leave the world behind. There's the sister with the three children, one a Nazi, one a pink-haired druggie, and the other a plump ballerina. Then, there's grandma who is a bit touchy about her piano. And, so forth. Will Rodney do the nasty deed at the end? This is definitely a weird film but that does not mean its not worth watching. The truth rings out in many segments, demonstrating why this world is cruel but liveable at the same time. One inspired moment crosses The Elephant Man with An Officer and a Gentleman. Shawn is truly great as the man who wants to end it all and all of the supporting players are fun. If you want to make this night's tube agenda something out of the ordinary, rent or borrow this film. You'll know you are not in Kansas anymore but you may get more than a few laughs along the way.
